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