Blog Overview

Look at this swell video [not] http://screencast.com/t/PkCMlvpR7fz

Web 2.0 Tool

     The Web 2.0 tool that I find useful for education is the RSS Feeds, which we used recently this year. This tool allows a person to be updated on information from a specific website in the similar manner to the subscriptions on YouTube. I would most likely use it for this class as the other classes I am taking this year rarely require the usage of other websites except for specific websites for research assignments and papers. Specifically, I would use it for personal usage to gain updates on websites such as clothing stores, and Japaneses comic websites. It will help me learn the content that I desire as I can simply read the information that I desire to educate myself and learned from this simplified information.

Technology Article 5/26

Google files patent for creepy teddy bear

Remember Teddy, the super-computer toy, from the 2001 film "Artificial Intelligence?" Well, Google might be making one.

Earlier this week the company filed a patent for a toy that can control other Wi-Fi-connected devices. This could be one of Google's creepiest patents yet -- especially if movies like "Chuckie" still give you nightmares.

Imagine a teddy bear outfitted with sensors and cameras.

If it senses you're looking at it, the fuzzy toy will rotate its head and look back at you. Once it receives and recognizes a voice command prompt, you can then tell it to control media devices in your home (e.g. turn on your music or TV).

google creepy toy connected device iot

"Hello, David...How may I help you today?"

Google (GOOGL, Tech30) says the patent application isn't an indication the company will actually make or sell this connected toy.

"We hold patents on a variety of ideas -- some of those ideas later mature into real products or services, some don't," the company said in an email statement to CNNMoney.

Even if Google doesn't make one of these Internet of Things (IoT) devices, you can bet other companies will in the near future. Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) already has a standalone home assistance gadget called the Echo, which can be prompted to control playlists and or look up information on the Web if you start your request by addressing it as "Alexa."

A connected speaker system called Ubi performs similar functions.

Interestingly, one of Google's April Fools' Day gags this year was a stuffed panda built to be a cuddlier face of its search engine...

Social Bookmarking Questions

1.What's another way you can organize and store information on your computers?

Another way you can organize and store information is Cloud on the computer.

2.What have you learned from researching the above topics? What do you know now about those current events that you didn't know before?

I have learning different statistic regarding basketball and how concerned our nation is with ISIS. I have learned that ISIS has gained control of Syria.

3.What are other social bookmarking apps/websites?

Other social bookmarking apps/websites are Delicious, Corkboard, Stumbleupon, Instapaper, and many more websites.

4.Will you continue to use social bookmarking?

Unfortunately, no as I do not need to save many websites or keep myself updated on specific sites that much.

Desire for a Better World

    Things that ignite my desire to make this world a better place are poverty, which is common in all nations, violence, and finally the poor treatment of other human beings. Unfortunately, I have seen poverty, first hand, in India, and I know how distressful it is. Seeing children and adults having to beg others for sources which we take for granted and have an abundance of is rather an unsettling feeling. All though this is impossible, I desire a way to end poverty in total. Next, I would desire to put an end to violence as it is rather causes an unnecessary bloodshed. All though I have never seen or expressed violence that has lead to unnecessary bloodshed, I have heard of such experiences and I hope that there is a way to end it fully. Finally, I hope to find a way to stop the poor treatment of human beings. Unfortunately, this is commonly expressed in Middle-Eastern nations such as Islam. The poor treatment of women and other human beings is something that I wish never occurred. My religion also shares in ties to Syria, which is a nation suffering under the assaults of Muslims. Unfortunately the career I have in mind, is either in finance or being a computer programmer which is not very productive in fulfilling these goals that I desire to accomplish. Maybe I can use programming to make an app or program that is simplistic and easy to access for those under poverty. Other than that, I do not believe that my career can help solve the problems in the world which is rather unfortunate. 

Technology Article 5/15

Robots threaten these 8 jobs

Soon you could be competing with a robot for a job.

Economists are sharply divided over the exact timing of the threat from robots and other forms of futuristic technology. Some see an imminent threat, others believe it won't happen until later this 

century -- if at all.

Yet Amy Webb, a digital media futurist and founder of Webbmedia Group, predicts at least eight career fields are "ripe for disruption" very soon -- like in the next 10 to 20 years.

"You should be quite worried," Webb said at the Milken Global Conference in Los Angeles last 

month. She points to these eight careers, in particular:

1) Toll booth operators and cashiers: People who work in the transactional space shouldn't be big fans of the Apple Watch or Apple Pay.

That's because the rise of wearable technology and mobile payment systems may make jobs like toll booth operator and grocery store cashier virtually obsolete.

"There is no real need for a person to be there every step of the way," Webb said.

2) Marketers: Powerful advertising tools of the future may allow brands to fashion their messages to customers with precision accuracy.

Webb pointed to new experiments with technologies that study customer behavior to identify what kind of ads will be most effective.

"This is pretty much unlike anything we've seen before," she said.

If these tools work, they may translate to smaller creative and strategic teams at marketing and ad firms.

3) Customer service: Many customer service jobs have been shipped overseas to India and other lower-paying countries. New technologies like predictive analytics could kill off more of these jobs.

Look no further than Watson, the friendly IBM (IBM, Tech30) supercomputer that won millions of fans by defeating former Jeopardy champions.

Webb warns that one of the things Watson can do, though it's not positioned that way right now, is to replace everybody in the customer service department of a company.

4) Factory workers: Get ready for robots to steal more manufacturing jobs from humans -- at a cheaper price and without taking breaks to text their friends.

The next wave of disruption is likely to be led by haptics, a sensor-based technology that allows people to virtually feel what they are working on even when the actual task is taking place far away.

5) Financial middle men: Don't knock Bitcoin -- Its underlying technology may steal your job.

Blockchain, Bitcoin's computer program, is able to automatically process transactions and create a perfect, reliable digital record.

Webb believes blockchain will disrupt the middle men in the banking, escrow, insurance and mortgage sectors.

"Whether or not Bitcoin ever takes off is beside the point. It's the underlying infrastructure that will dramatically change the work that's being done," Webb said.

We may have received a sneak preview of that this week when Nasdaq (NDAQ) said it will use blockchain to keep transaction records in its pre-IPO market.

6) Journalists: The Internet wiped out countless newspapers, and new technology could kill even more journalism positions.

Webb, a former journalist at Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal, said the next culprit will be algorithms that allow news outlets to automatically create stories and place them on websites without human interaction. Robot journalists (fedora optional) are already writing thousands of articles a quarter at The Associated Press.

7) Lawyers: If you're going into the legal world, veer toward litigation.

Webb believes non-litigation lawyers could soon be replaced by online form-based services like LegalZoom that can carry out simple tasks like trademark applications, wills and even divorce.

It's all been made easier by the trend to make records more open and easily accessible, lessening the need for high-priced lawyers.

Related: Where do Millennials want to work? Not at corporations

8) Phone workers: Many millennials don't have landline phones. That trend is only likely to continue with the advances of digital communication.

That means telecom companies like AT&T (T, Tech30) and Verizon (VZ, Tech30) could eliminate billing, operator and other positions on the telephone side of the business.

"There are a bunch of jobs that don't really need to exit," Webb said.

Fearing the future? These predictions will make people who work in these fields understandably cringe. But Webb isn't pessimistic about what lies ahead.

"

I don't see our technological future as a dystopian one. I just see it as different. For many people different is dystopian, which is something you need to get over," she said.

One outcome may be that tomorrow's employers will value very different skillsets than today's.

"We need highly-skilled plumbers and highly-skilled people in all types of fields we no longer venerate," Webb said.

Discussion Questionins Digg Reader

Why did you select the sites you subscribed to?

• I selected the sites I subscribed as either they were top sites that appeared in my head regarding the subject for Government and News. However, for the Personal folder, I was rather serious with. I chose my interests in food and in different clothing stores that i enjoy greatly.

Was it easy to find feeds and to subscribe to them?

• Yes, it was very simple to Google Search the RSS feeds that I required for the project

Which sites were your favorites?

• The sites that were my favorite all of my Personal sites such as H&M, Best Selling Eyeglasses, etc...

What else can you use RSS feeds for?

• RSS Feeds can be used to share information to other people interested in the sites that you are subscribed to and also it can keep you updated on information from sites you enjoy.

How likely are you to continue to use RSS feeds in the future?

• I will most likely not use RSS feeds as unfortunately there is no other people for me to syndicate information to and I am not very interested in getting updated from specific sites.

Invisible

     If I was able to be invisible, I would use my powers to fight crime. Of course, I would try to not walk in damp areas as my footsteps would produce sounds and make it visible. I would physically assault people who are doing incorrect deeds such as robbery, murder, being sexually inappropriate, and bothering the elderly unjustly.  I would avoid murder as it is is seen as an unrighteous act. I would also  try to make a superhero logo for the fun of it.
     I would try to try to help the poor that are being harassed. Once I get a sufficient amount of money, I would attempt to make the cape smaller to ensure that it does not fall easily. I would hope to stop the corrupt acts of politicians by incapacitating them with the fewest amount of violence possible. In the end, I hope that I would not turn into evil and become corrupt with power. I hope to continue with deeds of righteousness. 

Technology Article 5/8

Elon Musk wants Apple to get into the car business

     Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk would like to see Apple get into the electric car business.

"I certainly hope Apple gets into the car business," Musk said when asked about that possibility on Tesla's earnings call. "That would be great."

Musk also agreed with an analyst who said Apple's entry into the market could push "broader consumer acceptance of electric vehicles."

Musk has previously said he'd like to see as many electric car competitors as possible. He started Tesla because he wanted to speed up the transition from gas-powered cars to electric cars in order to address the threat of climate change. He has opened all of Tesla's patents to the public to spur greater development of electric cars.

Related: Musk says Tesla home batteries orders are 'off the hook'

Apple (AAPL, Tech30) hasn't commented, but it is widely reported to be looking at building cars.

It has been hiring auto and battery engineers. Earlier this year, Apple hired so many engineers from the electric car battery maker A123 Systems that A123 sued, claiming that Apple is playing dirty and on the verge of gutting the company completely.

Related: SpaceX's Dragon passenger capsule passes key test

Musk also addressed the fact that Tesla and Apple are hiring each other's employees, but said Tesla isn't suffering from brain drain. In fact, he said that Tesla has hired about five times as many people from Apple as Apple has recruited from Tesla over the last 12 months.

Investors have speculated for some time that cash-rich Apple would be well positioned to buy Tesla and its high-flying stock.

"Quite frankly, I'd like to see you guys buy Tesla," one shareholder told Apple CEO Tim Cook during the question and answer period of Apple's annual meeting.

Cook gave an evasive answer, saying "we don't have a relationship with Tesla."

Last week Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCAU), said he's open to partnering with Apple. "I think we should encourage that dialogue. All of us should encourage it."

Marchionne added that Apple and other tech companies would pose a tremendous threat to the auto industry if it moves into the sector.

"If they show up and they are truly successful, with their cash piles and know-how, they could fundamentally hurt this industry," he said. 

Class Curriculum

     The class curriculum that I would desire is a class relating to the importance of Hacking. In this class,  I would desire my students to impart knowledge on how to successfully hack into other computer systems. Of course, I would require students to know the fundamentals of successfully using a computer. Once they properly can use a computer, I will teach them how to disrupt the work of other computer systems. Of course, I will not teach them how to disrupt our school's system as that will lead to chaos.
      The class would have to occur after school, as unfortunately I believe our Board of Staff, will not desire this to be during school hours. Since it will be a lot of information being imparted, I will ask that students be able to come right after school. This class will be important as for those desiring to be hackers, I will show them the basic knowledge that they will need. For those not desiring to be hackers, this class will teach the basics of Computer Science and also defensive precautions on how to prevent hackers from accessing your work. Hopefully, my classroom will function in the same manner as that of Mr. Porfido's computer classes. In my true desires, I hope that my class will be able to function properly. 

Technology Article 5/1

This robotic chimp could one day roam the moon

Could the next moon mission involve a small step for an ape, but a giant leap for all robots?

With renewed interest in moon exploration -- in particular the remote possibility that deposits of helium-3, believed to be in greater concentration on the moon, could one day power nuclear fusion power plants on Earth -- robots might be the ideal solution, especially to keep the costs down.

And a design from the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (also known as DFKI) in Bremen, Germany, has landed on the chimpanzee as its model for unmanned lunar missions.

Quadruped stability
DFKI hopes its design -- called the iStruct Demonstrator and nicknamed "Charlie"- will capitalize on the inherent stability of the ape's quadrupedal stance without losing the chimp's versatility in climbing, grasping and moving over all types of terrain.

"We chose the ape because it allows us to study several locomotion modes," DFKI researcher Daniel Kuhn told CNN.

"For example, they have quite good quadrupedal walking abilities but they can also perform stand- up motion and walk on two legs -- their ability to do this is greater than other animals. This change in posture and walking form interested us," he said.

Four-legged locomotion, Kuhn explained, might be stable -- but for speed and agility on flat ground, bipedal walking has the edge.

The chimp's greatest asset is that it can choose which form of movement best fits the situation.

"They can choose: if the environment won't let you move in a stable fashion on two legs they can choose four. When the environment improves, two legs allows you to get a better view over the field."

Founded by the German space agency DLR, the project has also built Lunar craters in a lab to test the prototype.

"In general, we are very happy with the results," he said. "The robot can walk up and down slopes of up to 20 degrees.

"Currently, we are studying how to transfer from the four-legged to the two-legged motion pattern, which is very interesting. This system gives us hints as to how much deviation there is between the four-legged and the two-legged walking and how humans evolved to walk on two legs."

Lower body torque
Previously, most multi-legged robots have been equipped with single-point contact feet for the sake of simplicity in design and control.

However the robotic chimpanzee focuses on a sophisticated lomwer limb system that combines the torque and twist of the chimpanzee's lower body.

And, like a real chimp, the robot's feet and hands have multiple sensors and multiple points of contact.

When the environment improves, two legs allows you to get a better view over the field


The sensors include a pressure sensor array of 43 individual force sensing resistor (FSR) sensors. It also has six additional FSR-sensors used for collision detection.

The robot is also equipped with a distance sensor in the heel to anticipate the heel strike and two temperature sensors to compensate for the difference in temperature produced by its own electronics.

Robot with backbone
Its biggest advantage, however, comes from the fact that like a real chimpanzees, it has a spine.

"We have an actuated spine -- one of the first ever built -- and for us it was very interesting how the spine influences the motion of the legs," Kuhn said. "We need much less activation for the knee -- the knee can be much lower if we use the spine and it needs less force to move the robot.

"It's strong enough to walk around and carry its own weight -- and it can carry 20 to 25 kg of additional weight."


Because of the embedded electronics in the spine, the overall structure can be used as a 6-axis force-torque sensor, allowing it a range of movement that replicates human and animal mobility.

Daunting specs
For those designing lunar robots, the list of specifications can be daunting.

Not only must a robot be able to see, drill, grind, collect and even sieve, it needs to get around a hostile environment in extreme temperatures and in a vacuum.

Robots also must offer the greatest strength and versatility for the least payload and have the ability to fix problems if something goes wrong.

With the moon 380,000 kilometers away, there's little margin for error and Kuhn says it may take three or four generations before the lunar chimp is completely space proof.

"You have to use different technologies - you can't use the same electronics that you use on Earth; they have to be space qualified and space proof.

"What we are doing is working on integrating more redundancy into the robot. If something goes wrong then we can rely on different actuators."

Space and other animals
The chimpanzee is not the only animal that is being studied by DFKI as a potential model for a lunar robot. Also on the drawing board are plans for a lunar mantis and a lunar scorpion.

Also at the prototype stage, the advantage of this type of locomotion, Kuhn says, has great potential.

"What you have is an animal that can stand on four legs, giving it stability, but can use its front two legs to manipulate objects," he said.

Technology Article 4/24/15

Google takes aim at Apple Watch with Android Wear updates

 

With just four days until the Apple Watch is finally available, Google is reminding the world that it has smart watches too.

The company on Monday announced an upgrade to its Android Wear operating system for smart watches. Some features seem to take direct aim at the Apple Watch, including Wi-Fi support, a watch face that always shows the time, and doodles for messaging.

With built-in Wi-Fi support, an Android Wear watch will gain a bit of independence from its counterpart, the smartphone. Even if there's no phone nearby, a watch can connect to any available Wi-Fi network (if it's been set up using a phone previously) and get notifications, send and receive messages, and use Wi-Fi dependent apps.

Android Wear already includes an always-on black-and white display to show the time. Now it will let third-party developers tap the low-power feature to keep their screens on as long as they like. To see the time on an Apple Watch, you have to move your wrist to turn the display on, which is its way of saving power.

Complex communications are hard on tiny watch faces, so Google is adding a doodle-to-emoji translator. Do your best drawing of a happy face, cat, or thumbs up and it will turn it into the emoji equivalent.

Other new features include the ability to pull up a list of all installed apps with a swipe, and flicking your wrist to advance through news or notifications instead of scrolling with a finger.

LG's new smartwatch: more Patek Philippe, less Pebble

The update will be available in the coming weeks on the Android Wear models currently available from Asus, Samsung, LG, Motorola, Sony and Huawei. First it will ship on the new LG Watch Urbane model that comes out on Friday.

The new features won't necessarily be available on every watch. The hardware will have to support it and each manufacturer will decide what updates to allow.  

Technology Article 4/20

Google under siege: Europe wants blood

• The European Union is set on leaving Google in a very horrible position
• This form of conflict is rather focused on how Google will work in Europe
• The European Commission complains that Google favors its own search results over its competitors. The most relevant links are not always listed first on Google.
• For example, people searching for "running watch" will see photos, prices, ratings and links to five watches from companies that paid Google to advertise on the site. They won't see Amazon or other rivals' results listed first, and they're not necessarily seeing the best or most relevant products at the top of the results.

 

• Europe Commission has been probing at Google for the last 5 years

Just when it seemed like Google had gained the upper hand, the European Parliament voted in favor of a non-binding resolution to break up Google, the EC voted in a new competition commissioner, and the tide turned against the search company.

The EU has also been notoriously harsh on U.S. tech companies.After a failed U.S. Justice Department attempt to break up Microsoft, the EU has punished the software giant over the past decade with €1.6 billion worth of fines and by forcing the company to give Windows users browser options beyond Internet Explorer.

Intel also got slammed with a $1.4 billion fine for violating antitrust rules there -- the same case it settled for $6.5 million with the New York attorney general, after reaching a private agreement with rival AMD.

Google itself already lost its battle over the "right to be forgotten," a European law that requires the company to remove certain unwanted, inappropriate links from search results if requested. Google fought the law tooth and nail, yet lost.

But here is the problem with the European Union's case: It incorrectly assumes the starting point for consumers' shopping is always Google.

In its response to the charges, Google noted that its travel and shopping sites are woefully behind Amazon, eBay, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Expedia and many other sites in Europe. Google might have a 90% share of the European search market, but when searching for certain products online -- the particular items that the EU is the most upset about -- Google is hardly the only search engine in town. In fact, it's not close to the largest.

Google now has 10 weeks to officially respond to the EU's complaint. If it chooses not to settle, the case could get tied up in court for years.

The commission has also launched a full probe into Google's Android mobile operating system after a group of competitors accused the company of using it to "monopolize the mobile marketplace and control consumer data." Vestager said the European Union is also looking into other Google services, such as airline flights and hotel booking sites.

Wiki Opinion

Based on the videos shown to us, I have gained new knowledge on Wikipedia itself. We were taught to not trust this site as many students have constantly copied information from Wiki pages of certain information for research papers. We were also educated in the fact that since the information posted is changeable, this website should not be trusted. However, this is not fully true, or rather there is a way to still use the works of Wikipedia. First, I learned that information rather than being simply added and replaced, is rather constantly overlapping each other. The videos also taught me that there must be a balance in the information taught, meaning that there must be no sense of bias. Another way to utilize the works of Wikipedia, is rather than copying the information from Wikipedia, the resources stated under the Wikipedia should be utilized. Overall, I feel that rather than using Wikipedia itself, the resources should be exploited instead in regards to research and other forms of education or enjoyment.  

Spring Break

    I was very excited for Spring Break, our biggest break from school besides summer. On the day of Easter, my fifty day lent  ended, so I had the ability to eat meat again. My friends and I, after church, planned to see Furious 7 and hang out. I enjoyed spending time with my friends and the movie greatly. After the movie, I discussed with my friends how good the movie was and things the creators could have done to make it better.
     After the movies, the next day, my sister and I went to the Flaming Grill, a pretty good buffet. I was able to eat foods that I have not tasted in a long time. When we were leaving, I saw Kimberly and her family enter, which I found was coincidental. Other than that, I did not do many other interesting things. I spent the rest of my days doing my homework and studying for SAT.

Social Media Advice for the Creative

Social Media Advice for the Creative

     This article contains information that is necessary for people who enjoy posting comment on different platforms of social media which include Facebook, Twitter and many others. The article is comprised of advice and tips from people who have experience in posting on social media. Their advice can be broken up to 10 different parts. First, think of a sentence that best defines you and use that as your trademark when making your profiles. Interaction is very key for making successful posts. Privacy settings should be checked every day as social media sites change very often. It is not correct to right offensive posts about other people all the time. Profanity should be avoided as it is not good and cannot serve as development. It is recommended to be careful about what you type, as employees and job suppliers often check social medias. It is suggested to use your social media to promote good morals. The panelists suggest that social media posts should not be targeted on hateful people but rather handle their hatred with a positive attitude.  Social media does not need to be used to gain friends as they might end up being true. Finally, the panelists felt that selfies should not exist anymore.  I feel that all these methods will lead to a better social life. Personally, I do not care for social media so I did not put my full energy in comprehending these tips. However for those who are interested in the subject of social media, these tips should be followed. 

     

Technology Article 4/2/15

11 things you need to know about Microsoft's new Surface 3

Microsoft has unveiled the Surface 3, a thinner, smaller, and less expensive version of its suddenly successful Surface Pro 3 PC-tablet.
The Surface fills a gadget gap between laptops and tablets. Today's tablets are great for portability, reading and watching video, but they're not ideal for doing work. Laptops are designed for getting stuff done, but you wouldn't want to read a book on them. The Surface is a laptop that looks and acts like a tablet.
But the Surface Pro 3 costs $799, and that's without a keyboard. Throw in a keyboard and Bluetooth pen, and you're looking at a machine that costs close to $1,000.
With the Surface 3, Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) set out to make a similar tablet priced more attractively for students, parents and on-the-go professionals.
Here's what you need to know about the new Surface 3:

1. It costs $499.
That's a pretty good price for a PC that comes with 2 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. But that doesn't include the $129 keyboard (unless you already happen to have a Surface keyboard lying around, your total price is: $628).
"Surface Pro 3 is a product people know and love," said Panos Panay, head of Microsoft's Surface team, in an exclusive interview with CNNMoney. "When we were bringing [the Surface 3] to life, it was about, 'How do we give all that to folks but bring it to more people?'"
A higher-end Surface 3 is available for $599, giving you twice the RAM and storage. You can also add 4G-LTE wireless connectivity for $100 extra.
The Surface 3 is currently available for pre-order, and it will go on sale May 5.
surface 3 499


2. The keyboards are super-bright.
True to Microsoft's target student audience, the keyboards come in some bright, trendy colors aimed at a younger generation. They come in a bright tomato red, a darker burgundy, light blue, and purple. Those come in addition to the slate gray and dark blue that professionals like.
surface 3 keyboards

3. It weighs more than an iPad Air but less than the new MacBook.
The Surface 3 weighs 1.4 pounds. Even with the type cover, the new Surface weighs less than two pounds.
It's also super thin: just 0.34 inches, only slightly thicker than an iPad Air.
surface 3 weight

4. It runs "full" Windows 8.1, and it's upgradable to Windows 10.
Unlike previous non-"pro" versions of the Surface, the Surface 3 runs a full version of Windows, meaning it can run all the software that you're accustomed to running on a PC.
"It has to run everything -- even if it's iTunes or Chrome," said Panay. "You'll feel good because you left nothing on the table when you bought this product."
surface 3 windows



5. It has a processor designed for mobile devices.
The original Surface RT and Surface 2 ran on smartphone processors made by Nvidia (NVDA, Tech30). That made them slightly sluggish, but more importantly unable to run full Windows.
The Surface 3 runs an Intel (INTC, Tech30) chip designed for high-end tablets called the Atom x7. The advantages to the switch are twofold: full Windows (see No. 3) and a mix of power and battery efficiency that you'd expect from a mobile processor.
surface 3 processor

6. It has a 10.8-inch screen.
Similar to the Surface Pro 3 (but unlike other previous versions of the Surface), the Surface 3's screen has a 3:2 aspect ratio. That makes it a little less ideal for watching HD video but way better for reading and writing when you hold it vertically.
surface 3 screen

7. It uses the same plug that charges your smartphone (well...unless you have an iPhone).
The Surface 3 forgoes the magnetic charger that other Surfaces sported in favor of a micro-USB port that every non-Apple mobile device uses for charging.
Panay said micro-USB was of customers' most sought-after features.
surface 3 port

8. It has a kickstand that clicks into three different positions.
The Surface's kickstand is one of its most standout features, and it gets better in each version. The Surface 3 expands the number of positions to three: desk, lap and couch.
It's not quite as useful as the Surface Pro 3's pick-any-angle "continuous hinge," but it's more versatile than the one or two positions you got from previous Surfaces.
surface 3 kickstand

9. It has a pen.
The Surface Pen works on both Surface Pro 3 and the Surface 3. It has a nice weight and thickness to it, and though you can't store it in the device, the tradeoff is that it's far more useful than a stylus.
The pen can be used to write, capture a screen shot, highlight text and launch One Note among other tasks.
surface 3 pen



10. It has two HD cameras.
The 8-megapixel rear camera and the 3.5 mexapixel front camera are both capable of shooting 1080p HD video.
surface 3 camera

11. Its battery lasts 10 hours.
Battery life is tricky to measure, but Microsoft says the Surface's battery should be able to get you through a day of normal use. Microsoft claims the battery is large enough to let you watch 10 hours of video on a single charge.

Technology Article 3/27

An iPhone for people who hate Apple

Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6 Similarities: curved aluminum edges

                                                            the placement of the volume and on/off buttons

                                                           the bumped-out rear camera

                                                           fingerprint-sensor home button

Galaxy S6-High-end Gorilla Glass

                  Made of Metal

                  additional storage, a removable battery and waterproofing

                 Made to be counterpart iPhone6

Speed. The Galaxy S6 is noticeably fast, which is remarkable during an era when even the cheapest of cheap smartphones feels like a racehorse. There are no hiccups or jitters when you swipe through screens and open up apps.

While most phones feel like they pause to think for a split second every so often before executing your commands, the Galaxy S6 is so fast that feels like it's anticipating your taps and swipes before you make them. It's like an extension of your fingers.

Display. The screen is also jaw-dropping. It's bright, the colors are brilliant, the viewing angles are tremendous. It feels like a 4K ultra-high-definition TV in your hands -- because it kind of is. Its resolution is four-times more pixel-dense than standard HD displays.

Camera. The cameras are awesome. The Galaxy S6's 16-megapixel rear camera is among the best on any smartphone, and the 5-megapixel front camera might be the best selfie camera on the market.

The camera's shutter speed is super-fast, which means you can take rapid-fire photos without any noticeable lag. Also increasing the speed of phototaking on the Galaxy S6 is a new feature that lets you double-click the home button to launch the camera in a pinch -- even when the phone is locked or the screen is turned off. When taking a selfie, you can tap a sensor on the back of the camera, which lets you hold the camera in a more stable position.

The phone's thinness means the camera bumps out a bit -- more noticeably than on the iPhone 6. But unlike the iPhone's off-to-the-side camera, which causes Apple's smartphone to shake a bit when it's resting on the table, Samsung positioned its camera in the center, giving it a bit more stability when lying on its back.

Other features. The fingerprint reader is super fast and only requires a touch to unlock your phone (you used to have to swipe your finger).

The turbo charger is exceedingly fast -- plugging your Galaxy S6 in for 10 minutes gives you four hours of battery life.

You'll also get a minimum of 32 GB of storage on the Galaxy S6, which is double that of most smartphones. And you'll get wireless charging and an IR blaster, for those of who hate plugging in their phone and like using it as a universal remote.

Software. Being "pure Samsung" is not always a good thing.

Samsung's notoriously horrible software got an upgrade for the Galaxy S6 -- namely that there's less of it. Samsung claims that it cut down on its add-on software by 40% for the Galaxy S6, and the phone does let Google's excellent Android Lollipop software shine a bit more than previous Galaxies.

Yet the Galaxy S6's "TouchWiz" interface is still a mess of confusing, unnecessary features and app add-ons. The cartoonish icons and menus from Galaxies past remain, and they still look like they were designed in the flip-phone era. And there's still the un-eraseable bloatware, including Samsung's Milk music apps and and handful of Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) apps.

Should you buy it? If you're not an iPhone person but want the quality and attention to detail that Apple gives its smartphones, then the Galaxy S6 is worth consideration. Its ridiculous add-on software really gets in the way at times, which is a shame because Samsung doesn't need crazy software features for its phone to stand out in a crowd.

Technology Article 3/17

Is Your Teen Using Apps to Keep Secrets

• Can parents fully put their trust in their children anymore
• Studies show that sexting performed by teenagers is more common than often suggested
• However, sexters are normally not considered the typical stereotypes that take drugs or excessively drink or smoke.  
• More than half the undergraduate students who took part in an anonymous online survey said they sent sexually suggestive texts when they were teenagers, according to the study by Drexel University, which was published last year by the Journal of Sexuality Research and Social Policy.
• Nearly 30% said they included photos in their sexts, and an astonishing 61% did not know that sending nude photos via text could be considered child pornography.
• Another study, this one by the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, found that while students who admitted sexting were 32% more likely to report having sex the next year, sexting by teenagers was not linked to risky sexual behavior over time.
• It is interesting in the fact that it seems as though in certain areas that sexting has been considered normal to some
• However, it is common in many people suffering because of bullying or are depressed greatly
• Parents state that they are checking their children's phone but cannot seem to find it. Unfortunately this is due to the fact of Snapchat, Cyber Dust, VaporChat and others allow users to send messages that disappear on both the sender and recipient's phones after a certain period of time. 
• Unfortunately young adults such as students do not know that sexting is considered a felony and can be considered child pornography.
• It is not fully the faulting of the parent if they do not tell the consequences but really the fact that young adults are not interested in listening to repercussions
• The only solution it seems is to have a full discussion of the negative effects of sexting and if necessary educators on the specified subject to come and also explain the negativity of sexting

Article Link

Technology Article 3/13

13 things to know about the Apple Watch

    Simply put, this article summarizes information given to us by CEO Tom Cook regarding the Apple Watch that is coming.

The Apple Watch will go on sale online and by reservation in Apple stores on April 24. Pre-orders begin April 10.

The Watch will be available to customers in nine markets, including the U.S. The others are Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and the United Kingdom.

The cheapest Apple Watch -- the 38mm sport model -- will cost $349, as expected. The 42mm (which is the height from top to bottom of the watch) will cost $399. The most expensive version of the Apple Watch, called the Apple Watch Edition, will start at $10,000 and cost as much as $17,000.

On a full charge, the Apple Watch battery should last up to 18 hours. This is critical, since the Apple Watch needs to be continuously connected to an iPhone in order to work, which can be a big battery drain.

The Apple Watch will be available in three models: The Apple Watch Sport, the Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Edition.

The watches are made from anodized aluminum (Apple Watch Sport), stainless steel (Apple Watch) and 18-karat gold (Apple Watch Edition). The Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition screens will be crafted from sapphire crystal, the same material used in luxury watches. The Apple Watch Sport will feature an Ion-X glass display.

There are only two buttons on the watch.

Each model will come in two sizes: a 38mm, or 1.5 inch (height), and 42 mm or 1.7 inch.

The Apple Watch needs an iPhone to connect to the Internet. And not just any iPhone -- the oldest iPhone it will connect to is the iPhone 5, and it has to be running iOS 8.2 software, which is available for download as of Monday. It connects to the iPhone via Bluetooth.  

Each Apple Watch model will be available in two colors: Stainless steel and black stainless steel for the Apple Watch; silver aluminum and gray aluminum for the Apple Watch Sport; and 18-karat yellow gold and 18-karat rose gold for the Apple Watch Edition. 

There are six types of wristbands: 1) a metal band with a traditional clasp 2) a rubber sport band 3) a magnetic leather band 4) a leather band with a classic buckle 5) a leather band with a modern buckle and 6) a flexible metal magnetic band. 

It will "tap" you when you have notifications. You can also tap it back, sending other Watch owners taps that can emulate a sender's heartbeat.

 Article Link

Technology Article 3/6/15

Laser Procedure Can Turn Brown Eyes Blue

     From many famous actors and actresses, we have seen that a very popular eye color tends to be blue. Blue is send to represent a sign of attractiveness. Many studies have shown that people with blue eyes tend to stand out more in a crowd then people of different eye colors. In the past. the only way to change the appearance of your eye color was using different color eye contacts. Now there is a medical procedure that allows to change people with brown eyes to the color of blue. Pioneered by Stroma Medical, the laser procedure works by eliminating the brown melanin that's present in the anterior layers of the iris. "The fundamental principle is that under every brown eye is a blue eye," Dr Gregg Homer told CNN, adding that there is no actual blue pigmentation in the eye. "The only difference between a brown eye and a blue eye is this very thin layer of pigment on the surface." "If you take that pigment away, then the light can enter the stroma -- the little fibers that look like bicycle spokes in a light eye - and when the light scatters it only reflects back the shortest wavelengths and that's the blue end of the spectrum."This  effect is similar to showing why are sky is blue. According to the medical board, this form of surgery is said to be safe as they use low intesnity lasers which are not very harmful. The procedure is said that it will cost $5,000. 

Article Link

Technology Article 2/27

The social network that you can wear

     Normally, when you interact with someone, in order to learn about someone, one has to interpret someone's body language or the words they say. Now this action of interpretation can be performed by simply just reading a shirt. It seems as though design teams at MIT's Tangible Media Group and the Fluid Interface Group have worked together to create a garment that incorporates social networking into it and tells other wearers your interests, associations and even if people are compatible organ donors. The group of MIT students behind the project - Viirj Kan, Katsuya Fujii, Judith Amores, and Chang Long Zhu Jin - wanted to look at ways of seeing how social media worked outside the confines of the computer screen. Sporting a chic alphabet design on the front, the T-shirt's pattern is printed in thermo-chromatic ink with a thin circuit membrane under the weave.The T-shirt uses Bluetooth to pair with your phone and all your critical data. The shirt will "tap" the wearer to indicate that there is another shirt wearer nearby. However, this can only be done up to 12 feet. After the T-shirt has alerted you to the fact there's another wearer in the room, capacitive sensors in the shirt read either a handshake, touch or high five before the T-shirt starts transmitting your data and you begin wearing your heart on your sleeve. Unfortunately, the shirt is still in prototype and it is unknown when it will be coming out.

Article Link

Technology Article 2/23

YouTube has a new apps just for kids

    As the title suggests, Google ,the owner of YouTube, has created an app specifically for young children. Simply put, this app is really a more sanitized or a cleaner form of YouTube. This app has a much more simpler design than the original YouTube and is so easy that even young children that are unable to read will be able to easily navigate themselves. Unfortunately, this app will also be carrying ads which has surely annoyed us all one way or another.Of course, these ads will be observed to see which is appropriate for this app. Although it can be argued that YouTube already had a safety mode, it is still very easy for children, hence the creation of this new application. YouTube Kids is said to ensure that kids do not search inappropriate terms and will be suggested to search something else. There is also an timer option that sets a certain time limit for this app's usage which is good for parental control. Videos will be separated into different categories being Shows, which are channels having popular shows children such as Sesame Street and the Fuzees. Next there is Music containing many songs adored by young children such as "Let It Go". There is also the new Learn and Explore Section which shows content interesting to younger people such as Minecraft and singing. Overall, this can be useful, as it gives children now to access to a YouTube that is more cleaner for young ages.

Article Link

Web 2.0: Multimedia Blog Pre-Posting

     This year, I am taking Chemistry, under the teachings of Mrs. Sistarenik, which is one of my preferred classes. She has a very interesting behavior, reveals hilarity at certain moments, contains a broad, wide sense of knowledge, and she has the tolerance to handle many classes with a calm behavior. There is also the fact that she was my teacher in the department of Science last year. During the previous year, she contained a very humorous and exciting behavior and treated everyone with pure happiness and hilarity. She knows how to captivate her class while teaching very difficult topics of Science.Click here to see her website.

      When I entered the class, on the first day, I was expecting a high level of difficulty. Unfortunately, I was correct in this matter of education. Chemistry is by no means, a simple class, and carries a degree of great difficulty. Chemistry carries both the aspects of Math and Science together. Mrs. Sistarenik grades her students based on the information she teaches and describes. This will normally be in the form of worksheets, tests, assignments, and other different forms of work. She believes in the concept of having her tables work together to formulate an answer for the work she assigns.
     Currently, in the class of Chemistry, we are learning the different type of chemical reactions and the table of activity energy. We often use technology when do we perform worksheets known as Pogil activities. Currently, we finished a project which required us to make a video for YouTube. With my partner, we were able to burn steel wool to form iron oxide. It also formed a work of fire works around the steel wool. Overall, I believe her class is very exceptional and will lead me to a successful school life.


If interested to see articles relating to this wondrous subject click here

The Fun of Chemistry

The Fun of Balancing Equations

If you desire, you can see what my experiment would look like in its purest form.

Technology Article 2/12

Newsweek Twitter, others hacked by CyberCaliphate

     

CyberCaliphate, a group that is said to be similarities are in partnership with ISIS, has been able to hack a numerous amount of Twitter accounts and the breaking news system of a Maryland television station. The Twitter feeds of Newsweek and veterans' group Military Spouses of Strength were hacked Tuesday morning by a group identifying itself as CyberCaliphate, the same organization that was confirmed to have hacked the twitter account for U.S. Central Command earlier this year.The group posted threatening tweets against First Lady Michelle Obama and others, and photos on the two pages that were similar to the postings on the hacked @CentComm twitter feed. In response, Twitter has suspended the hacked CENTCOMM Twitter account. The hacked Maryland television station tweeted that their text alerts have been hacked and are seeking a remedy to this issue. The station said as many as 16,000 subscribers received threatening messages like the following: "We're 

CyberCaliphate! With Allah's permission we're coming for you! You'll see no mercy infidel!"

Article Link

     

Welcoming Post

Hello and welcome to my blog. Before you start reading any other information from other postings, here is a few things about me in general.

• Likes-My interests consist of experimenting with my computer, occasionally playing video games, the color green and orange, certain subjects such as History, foods such as banana bread, my native food, and other kinds of delicacies , and especially certain kinds of clothing such as cardigans and p-coats
• Dislikes-My disinterests are  obnoxious, annoying and irritating people, mainly tomatoes and onions, and many other small pet peeves 
• Classes that I am taking are mainly classes required for graduation such as History, Math English, and much more 
• I am hoping to go into classes in the educational field.

Educational Technology and Copyright Law

     The article gives detailed on the subject of copyright regarding the Internet. When ever you create or draw something, you automatically have ownership and are protected under copyright laws.  Under normal circumstances, people are allowed to use images from the Internet; only for purposes such as educational, teaching, research and other specific reasons as long as they are for non-profit. However, if the image is licensed, the user of the image must get permission in order to use the image or they may suffer from being sued. So in totality, images that are not licensed can be used easier but must be used fairly but licensed images require both permission and fair usage of the image.