Assignment 15

mocoNews.net - Report: Text Messaging Will Continue To Be The Darling Of Mobile Data Revenues

 

            The article I chose to write about this semester is on the ever-growing use of text messages or also known as SMS.  As we all know ever since text messaging came out it has been a huge hit throughout the world.  This article brings forth the numbers and future of the text messaging industry.  In this report they predict that in the year 2013 text messaging will double from $130 billion to $260 billion. 

            Text messaging accounts for 60% of the phone market.  These report stats that America uses double the amount of text messages then Europe.  I can completely understand why text message has becoming the number one way of communicating on a mobile cell phone.  People do not want to talk to anyone these days, they just want to say one or two things and not carry on a conversation.  This is also due to the fact that America is a lazy nation.  Therefore we take the lazy route of not talking and just typing on our phones.

            In my opinion text messaging is a great invention, but I wish that our generation were not so lazy.  I miss talking to my friends on the phone.  I remember when I would talk to my friends on the phone everyday after school but now I just text message them because it is easier.  I hat how I have become lazier due to the fact technology makes everything easy.  So in the end, technology is just going to keep getting better and making us lazier so therefore text messaging is on the rise.  The only country that text messaging is not number one is in Japan that is because they are huge fans of e-mailing.

 

Work Citied

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/03/AR2008120302106.html?referrer=digg

 

External Source

 

http://www.portioresearch.com/MMF09-13.html

 

Assignment 14

Teams plug in to video game to evaluate talent in NBA

 

            The article I chose to write about this week is talking about professional NBA scouts and coaches using videogames to evaluate players.  I know you are thinking how can you scout a player on a videogame?  I thought the same thing, until I read through this article.

            Come to find out over half of the professional NBA managers use videogames to scout their next opponent or to scout their future prospects for their team.  Now they cannot figure out everything and things can change since in real life humans’ change, such as injuries or hangovers.  They use the game to give them an idea of how their opponent will match up.  They can tell pretty much how that player plays and their strengths and weaknesses, for example if the player favors his right, how will he post up against Shaq, is it better for the team If that player passes rather then shoots.  All of this information is vital to coaches, and they can use it to further their knowledge on each and every player in the game.  The one thing they cannot do is see how players interact with coaches and teammates.  This is why coaches still have to go to scout players; it just helps make a better judgment of a single player and helps them find out if they will be a good fit.

            In the end this is a very good idea if you think about it.  Videogames are becoming so realistic that this was bound to happen.  Especially how games update player’s stats online nearly every week.  This is a tremendous help to coaches, and makes the coaches jobs a bit easier and funnier.  The now have an excuse to play videogames and call it work.

 

 

Work Cited

 

http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-media28-2008nov28,0,2665323.story

 

External Source

 

http://www.operationsports.com/forums/nba-2k/275084-adjusting-sliders-realistic-gameplay-nba-2k8-nba-2k9.html

Assignment 12

Lose the BlackBerry? Yes He Can, Maybe

 

            The article I chose to write about this week is talking about future president Barack Obama and his BlackBerry.  I never knew that when the president took office he had to give up his email accounts and cell phone.  I guess I never really thought about it, but it makes perfect since why they have to do it.  Barack has already made history in this presidential election and he might make more if he keeps his BlackBerry.

            As I previously stated presidents have to give up their phones when becoming president.  When I first heard this I was like “WHAT?” but if you really think about it.  Then you will see that it makes perfect sense, think we text and email and make calls all on our phones and all of it is unsecured and no way to protect it fully.  So to have an unprotected device in the man running our country is not very smart.  Barack is making some more history by having a laptop computer at his oval office instead of a desktop computer, why not with a BlackBerry?  In my opinion do not break history keep it as it is and do not allow him to bring his phone into the white house. 

            In the end, I see completely why it is smart to have our country protected.  I guess I was just putting myself in Obama’s shoes when thinking if I were to lose my phone I could not handle it.  My phone is with me everywhere I go.  I am glad that people handle this and I do not have to deal with it.  This is very smart; it will prevent any type of cyber attack on the president. 

 

 

Work Cited

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/us/politics/16blackberry.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

 

External Source

 

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/george_w_bush/index.html?inline=nyt-per

 

Assignment 11

Small Basic Teaches Kids How to Program

  

            The article I chose to write about this week is some interesting software that Microsoft has been making for sometime.  The name of the software is Small Basic, they market it as a “tool designed for kids to learn programming in a ‘codeless’ environment.  This program has been in the works for over a year. 

            This is one of the first true programs design specifically for children.  I personally am really excited about this, I have wanted to learn more about programming for a while but have not really had a good program to start learning on.  This program offers the technology I need and has plenty of resources that I can access.  I love how they say they designed it for kids nine and up but really they are trying to say that it is a very simply put step-by-step listen guide that allows people to learn the basic, and still branch off using the neat interface that Small Basic offers.  Small Basic offers the ability to use third party applications within Small Basic.  This attracts many experienced programmers to look into Small Basic.  By allowing the ability to have third party applications running they opened up a huge opportunity to programmers throughout the world to make this even more advanced then it is now.             

            In the end this program has changed the way people are learning about computers.  This is very good for the future of computers and learning how to work with them.  Programming is a big thing in this day and age, and if you know how to do it you can make a ton of money.  I am going to try and learn the basics so I can get a grasp on programming enough to start my own web page.

 

 

Work Citied

 

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/small_basic_teaches_kids_how_t.php

 

External Sources

 

http://smallbasic.sourceforge.net/

 

Assignment 10

Cable TV provider plans its own wireless network

 

            This article is talking about the every growing wireless network.  Cox communications one of the largest cable television providers is planning on spending $550 million on a brand new wireless network.  Cox communications will be in competition with such companies as verizon and at&t. 

            This is a huge branch out for Cox Communications; this will bring a ton of business to them.  They already have phone, Internet, and cable television.  They are talking about turning this into the newest fiber optics out there.  They want to be able to offer their costumers a whole package deal.  This will attract a ton of people to switch from satellite to cable.  This is just to get everyone’s bills all on one bill, and to attract people to a different service in their area so they do not have to just have one option with at&t or verizon.  I cannot believe Cox Communication is going to finally make the jump into the wireless world.  Their stock is going to skyrocket, what is going to be interesting is at&t and verizon are both branching out as well.  They are both adding fiber optic cable TV to their companies.  This means all three companies, at&t, verizon, and Cox communications will offer all three home services.  This is going to be good for the consumer since it will bring competition to the market, meaning lower prices and better quality product.

            Like I said in the end, this is going to benefit us tremendously.  We will see the effects when the three companies get all set up.  It should be interesting to see how much the prices are going to be for all three services.  I cannot wait till this comes out, technology is great, and I love how it is never ending in growing. 

 

 

Work Citied

 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/biztech/10/27/cox.wireless.ap/index.html

 

 

External Source

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_fiber

 

 

Assignment 9

Pleitgen Digital  Paper

 

This article is talking about the future with digital paper.  Digital paper is the new technology that will decrease the use of cutting down trees.  Digital paper is a piece of plastic that shows a digital image of whatever they program.  This will change the newspaper and magazine industries forever.  This new technology uses some crazy new light technology.  It transmits light through the plastic and then turns it into whatever is on the memory card, such as a magazine and newspaper.

            In my opinion this is the next e-book.  This will be more popular and soon after it becomes mainstream will surpass newspaper stands and magazine stands.  This will save numerous trees, and help out our environment tremendously.  This invention is probably one of the top ten for the past couple of years.  Scientist say that people will be able to re use this technology for everything from Sports Illustrated to Time News forever with out any problems.  The cost for this Pleitgon is still unknown since this is still a very new product that is still in the testing faces. 

            So in the end, in a couple of months we will have some new technological digital paper.  This is exciting as technology is growing, I cannot wait to see this product finished and in my own hands.  This pleitgon digital paper is going to be very cool and will basically be a full size e-book, e-books now are just to small for some people to read, such as my dad.  I cannot wait for it to be released so I can have all my favorite articles with me and do not have to care around a ton of magazines.

 

 

 

Work Citied

 

http://snackfeed.com/videos/detail/f326bdc6-f356-102b-a525-00304897c9c6/Digital-paper?_s=s

 

External Source

 

www.cnn.com/digital_paper

Assignment 8

Joost, YouTube lead new era of online TV

 

            This article that I am writing about is talking about this new website called Joost.  It basically lets you watch TV shows and anything you want from videos of your friends.  The cool feature about this website is the social capabilities it has.  You are able to talk to other people who enjoy the same shows.   You can also form groups between you and your friends to discuss what is going on with your favorite shows. 

            In my opinion this is going to become a huge hit.  This is a brilliant idea, to put TV together with a social site were you could discuss anything you want or something you are confused about.  They compare this site to YouTube, since YouTube is by far the number one video website on the Internet.  I say in a couple of years this site will over take YouTube and become the number one video website.  I also believe that in a few years a ton of people will just start watching TV on their computers instead of on their TV.  That way they can watch TV anywhere in the world on their laptop.  I personally cannot wait till this happens. 

            So in the end, this website is going to take off in the near future.  I am sure you will be hearing something’s about this website.  I love technology and cannot wait till the future since everything is getting better and faster.  I love the idea that I can go online and watch any shows that I miss when I was working or at school.  This is a very creative idea and I am glad that someone finally put this into action. 

 

 

Work Citied

 

www.cnn.com/joost.html

 

External Source

 

www.joost.com

Assignment 7

Step-on scanner lets air passengers keep shoes on

           

 

This article written by Dan Williams, is talking about revolutionary technology coming to every single airport in the near future.  You know how every time you go to the airport we have to remove our shoes.  This new technology is going to allow us to just step onto a mat and it will x-ray our shoes.

They are going to use this technology for shoes as of right now, but in the near future they hope to be able to use the technology for other things.  For example, instead of having to do random searches after going through a metal detector we will be able to know who needs a little extra search or if they are clean, just by standing on a simple mat.  In my opinion this is going to speed up airport security tremendously.  I actually get to fly free because of my dad and I can definitely see this technology speeding up airport security lines.  This would save us a ton of time before getting on airplanes. We have to go an hour to two hours early just to make sure we can make it to our gate on time because security takes so long.  I know we need it and I am glad we have it, but this new technology is going to help out with security and bring down the traffic at security checkpoints.

I personally cannot wait till this technology comes out.  I fly a lot and hope to see it in the airports soon.  I am glad that we can find a compromise, where the security can be just as good but at a much faster pace.  This is going to make a ton of people very happy the next time they go to fly and they get through security in less then five minutes.

 

 

Work Cited

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE49B2CL20081012

 

External Source

 

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/index.shtm

 

Assignment 6

Green at WIRED Next Fest: Paper that Self-Erases After 24 Hours XEROX

 

       This article written by Michael Richard is on some of the newest technology with paper.  Have you every thought about how much paper is wasted daily?  Well these scientists at XEROX have come up with a solution to saving some paper. 

            The researchers at XEROX have claimed that they have found a way to make the ink on paper disappear after 24 hours of no one using it.  This would save millions of trees and lower the amount of paper needed to be recycled.  They say that this new technology would not require any type of special paper, just a new printer with a different type of ink.  This invention could be used throughout the world.  A study shows that 40% of everything that comes out of offices printers throughout the day ends up in the trash.  This is why this invention would save a tremendous amount of paper from being wasted.  XEROX is trying to get this technology working 100% so that they can put it in offices as soon as possible.  They say the key to all of the ink disappearing is the ink that they put into the printer.  They say that you can make the ink disappear faster by exposing it to heat, the more heat the less ink. 

            So in the end this invention will soon be throughout the world, in offices, schools, and anything that uses printers throughout the day on a large scale.  This will save a ton space at the recycling centers.  This will also save space at many landfills.  I love this new idea and am glad someone is taking the right steps to saving our environment.  This will be a huge invention once they get everything working correctly. 

 

 

Work Cited

 

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/wired-nextfest-2008-chicago-xerox-erasable-paper.php

 

 

External Sources

 

http://www.xerox.com/

Assignment 5

Google phone prepares for October debut

 

                  The article I have chosen to write about is about one of the newest high tech phones to come out.  Google makes it, it is said to be the IPhone killer.  I actually have an IPhone and have had it since the day that it came out.  I have been comparing the two phones and of course I am going to stick with my IPhone, this article is talking about the  new phone so I will  let you know some cool things that it brings.

            The G1 is scheduled to debut in October of this year.  Google of course makes the G1, like Apple this will draw a ton of attention since they are a big name company.  All of these new phones each bring something new to the phone industry.  I keep comparing it to the IPhone since the IPhone completely changed the phone industry.  This new G1 will bring the latest technology on open source software to a phone; the open source software on the G1 is called Android.  This software unlike the IPhone, where you have to pay for extra applications, will be offered for free.  Another thing that the G1 is revolutionizing is the GPS and maps capability on a mobile phone.  The G1 will be offered for $20 less then the IPhone and the monthly data plan will also be $20 cheaper.  With the big name an low price the G1 should could possible be the next IPhone type mobile phone, where everyone is talking about it for months and months.

            In conclusion, this new phone will once again change the mobile phone industry.  I cannot wait to see the unveiling of it in October.  It shall be very interesting to see how much hype it gets.  So I guess till then go IPhone. Hahahha

 

 

Work Citied

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/09/23/google.phone.ap/index.html

 

 

External Sources

 

http://www.infinityandbeyond.tabert.com/posts/2008/09/googlephone-arrives-1022?referer=sphere_related_content

 

http://venturebeat.com/2008/09/23/g1-the-first-android-powered-phone-coming-to-us-stores-on-october-22nd/?referer=sphere_related_content

Assignment 4

The future of gaming is all in the mind

 

                 This article on CNN.com is talking about the future in videogames.  It is referring to the technology that videogames use; today we operate videogames with controllers.  What the new technology will bring is the ability to operate videogames by only using our minds.  This technology is right around the corner. 

                  In this article, President and co-founder of Emotiv Systems Tan Le, said that they have this new technology called EPOC headset.  It is the first interactive brain computer interface. Tan Le’s company has claimed that this new technology has already mastered the ability to process the brain’s thoughts and turn them into functions on a videogame.

            They say this new technology will be similar to the technology seen in such movies as, The Matrix, Star Trax, and Star Wars.  This is very exciting information, we will be able to use this not only for videogames but as well for some medical purposes.  They say this technology will have the ability to put us in an all-virtual world.  This is very crazy to think that in the near future we will be able to interact with our friends through the Internet just with our minds while sitting on our couches.  There are also very scary possibilities with this new technology, such as hackers. "So add that up: a wireless, remote, brain reading/writing device that can scan, interpret, and communicate with someone across the room, without them even knowing it. Connect that to the Internet... and talk about brainwashing possibilities. What if some hacker could figure out how to write viruses to people's brains? It's actually a little scary."  This is why this technology is going to take awhile to come out, because they need to make sure it is perfect or as close as possible.

            In the end this new technology is very exciting and very scary at the same time.  It is bound to come out regardless in the future.  So just prepare yourself for it.  That is the only advice I can give you.

 

 

 

Work Citied

 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/09/08/Futureofgaming/index.html

 

External Sources

 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/09/08/Futureofgaming/index.html#cnnSTCPhoto

 

http://www.youtube.com/login?next=/watch%3Fv%3DM6JKn1GoUR8

Assignment 3

Complaints of rising gas prices as Ike hits

 

            In this article written by CNN, they discuss a very controversial topic.  The topic is “gas prices”.  This article is talking about hurricane IKE and the speech George Bush gave about the hurricane not affecting the gas prices. 

            This article starts out with the current gas prices, the national average is $3.69 a gallon and within one day since the news about the hurricane it has raised to $4.99 in certain areas.  George Bush spoke about the gas prices and about the hurricane and the affects it will have on the gas prices throughout the nation.  George Bush recently spoke on this issue, and stated, “We are going to make sure you as consumers do not get gauged out of money”.  In my opinion George Bush is lying about this topic, gas has risen by over fifty cents across the nation.  Gas should not raise that much by just closing down the oil refineries in Texas.  I believe we as a nation have plenty of gas saved up.  We are just letting people think that we have none so they will be willing to pay almost an arm and a leg for gas. 

            I hate that everything revolves around supply and demand in this country.  If everyone would just ignore the whole controversy about gas prices, then gas companies would not have a reason to keep raising the prices, if we would take a stand and not purchase gas when it gets outrages like it is then gas companies could not raise them.

  I hope in the near future we can figure out a way to help out the consumers and the producers and find a median for both.  On cheapgas.com they post the latest prices on gas in your area, that way we can save a bit of money. 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/13/bush.ike/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

 

 

External Source

 

http://www.charlottegasprices.com/index.aspx?&area=Charlotte%20-%20Central&area=Charlotte%20-%20East&area=Charlotte%20-%20North&area=Charlotte%20-%20South&area=Charlotte%20-%20West

Assignment 2

‘Tongue computing’ could help disabled

 

            This article on CNN.com is about some new technology that is soon to come out in the future.  The title says it all, ‘Tongue computing’.  Basically this article is talking about some break through technology that some students at Georgia Tech have been working on.  They have been working on this technology for quiet sometime, and have finally been having a quiet a bit of breakthroughs.

 

            They have recently received over $300,000 in grants from different companies and organizations.  This is a great sign since they were able to produce enough evidence that the small computer chip that they are working on for the tongue can work in the future.  The small computer they are working on is supposed to act somewhat as a mouse for a computer.  It is very small less then a centimeter in size.  They say that it will be able to control numerous things, such as a wheelchair, a computer, TV, and pretty much anything.  This is a great idea; this will help many disabled people with this and many lazy people as well.  It will mainly be used for the disabled and I can actually see the potential for our military to use this in the near future.  This little computer chip is still in the early stages of becoming real, but with all of this hype and grants that they are receiving I am sure this will succeed and probably in the near future.

 

            In the end technology is always getting bigger and bigger, like they always say we are the technology era.  This great invention will help out numerous people if not save numerous lives in the future.  I hope they keep up the great work and can get more money to keep up the great work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Citied

 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/08/25/tongue.computing.ap/index.html

Assignment 1

CIA, FBI push ‘Facebook for spies’

 

            In this article, Larry Shaughnessy who writes for CNN refers to the popular social website called Facebook.  He is comparing Facebook with this new social website that is soon to come out for the CIA and FBI and all of the secret intelligence agencies.  This new website is called A-Space, it is going to be used as a way for all of the secret agencies to interact with each other over secure website.  They will be able to log on just like Facebook and access all of their friends and ask such questions dealing with Al Qaeda movements in the Middle East and basically anything they want dealing with terrorist

 

            "It's a place where not only spies can meet but share data they've never been able to share before, this is going to give them for the first time a chance to think out loud, think in public amongst their peers, under the protection of an A-Space umbrella." This is what Michael Wertheimer said; he is the assistant deputy director of national intelligence for analysis.  In my opinion this idea is very creative and seems like it will work out very well, especially since it sounds like the interface will be very simple just like Facebook so all the agencies can come together easier to get certain Intel or just simply communicating.  There might also be some flaws with it at first since all of this confidential information is on this one website, if someone was to hack into it then they would have access to everything.

 

            In the end it will be interesting to see how this goes.  This is a great idea if they can make it as secure as they say they can.  Like I said before with the way it is set up all the agencies should be able to communicate with ease and should be able to pass Intel a lot faster.  I hope this works out since in the long run this will help out the security for our country.

 

 

 

 

Work Citied

 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/09/05/facebook.spies/index.html