A Jew in Reindeer's Clothing

Wednesday, December 9- Technology Review

2009-12-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

NY Times
Text Messages: Digital Lipstick on the Collar

Text messages are becoming more popular but for cheating spouses, they can be what acknowledges the elephant in the room.

According to an article in the New York Times, his became painfully obvious a week ago when a woman who claims to have had an affair with Tiger Woods told a celebrity publication that he had sent her flirty text messages, some of which were published.

Text messages are applying proof in the courts that a spouse is cheating. The article states, "Divorce lawyers say they have seen an increase in cases in the past year where a wronged spouse has offered text messages to show that a partner has strayed."

“How does someone make up an excuse when what is happening is right there, written in black and white?” asked Mitchell Karpf, a Miami divorce lawyer who is also chairman of the bar association’s family law section. “By the time someone shows up with a handful of texts, there is no going back.”

I think this very interesting. Many phones allow the user to delete messages, and I feel that the messages could have been deleted. What I find even more interesting

Wall Street Journal
Games for Newbies and Pros

New video games allow novices and video game junkies to play together and not allow the battle to be one-sided, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.

The article states, "The latest installment of Nintendo Co.'s "Super Mario Bros." game for the Wii console, for example, has a "simultaneous multiplayer mode" for the first time. Under that mode, up to four players cooperate with each other to complete each level—with the ultimate goal of saving Princess Peach from the villain—so players of varying abilities can play together by helping each other out."

Other video game manufacturers including Microsoft Corp. and Infinity Ward are tweaking their games to allow cooperation.

This move was triggered by the fact that many die hard video gamers are now older and may have started families. They no longer have hours to spend playing games and need games that can also be enjoyed by their children.

Gamers of all levels can enjoy games like Super Mario Bros. Older versions of the game had contestants playing against each other allowing for an unfavorable competition.

I think this is a really neat idea that the video game companies created. I know that when I play with my friends, especially on Nintendo, the game can be one sided and I usually lose.

Monday, November 30- Technology Review

2009-11-30T11:36:00.000-08:00

NY Times- Technology

$$ Saving Light Bulbs

A new study conducted by Osram, a German lighting company, has concluded that the newest generation of energy saving light bulbs, do in fact, save energy.

The article states, "while that may seem self-evident, until the release of the report on Monday the answer remained unclear. That is because no one knew if the production of LED lamps required more energy than needed for standard incandescent bulbs. While it is indisputable that LEDs use a fraction of the electricity of a regular bulb to create the same amount of light, if more energy were used in the manufacturing and distribution process, then the lighting industry could be traveling down a technological dead end."

The study shows that from manufacturing to disposal of the bulb, the incandescent bulb used almost five times the energy than LED lamps and compact fluorescents.

The article continues, “We welcome these kinds of studies,” said Kaj den Daas, chief executive of Philips Lighting North America. The Osram study “provides facts where we often have only emotional evidence.”

As interesting as I find this article, I'm not convinced that these new fangled energy bulbs are for me; I can't afford them. Personally, I feel that LED bulbs are not efficient for students not only because of the pricing but because most college students don't stay in one location for one than a year. During all of the moving, a lightbulb can be broken, and there's an investment that went right down the drain.

My solution to this problem until I can make the commitment to own a lightbulb for more than five years, is to simply unplug my unused electronics, including my lamps. I'm saving money and I'm saving some energy.

Wall Street Journal- Technology
Blockbuster Kiosks

To compete with Coinstar Inc.'s Redbox, NCR Corp. has announced that by year end, they will have 200-Blockbuster branded DVD kiosks around New York.

Drug stores around the area will be have the blue kiosks that can hold 450 more DVD's than Redbox.

According to the article, "Having the Blockbuster brand means [consumers] immediately know what the kiosk is and what the kiosk does," says Alex Camara, vice president and general manager of NCR Entertainment, a nearly 10-year veteran of Coinstar before he quit to join NCR earlier this year"

Blockbuster will match Redbox's $1 a night rental fee.

The article continues, "Studios get a cut of rental revenue from Blockbuster stores, but not from the Blockbuster-branded kiosks. They also miss out on a cut of rental revenue from Redbox."

It was only a matter of time before a competitor was released. I have never used Redbox, nor do I plan on ever using it. The price is in my range, but I hate the limitation of only getting it for one night. I prefer to visist my local library. It's wayyyyy cheaper.

Monday, November 16- Technology Review

2009-11-16T05:37:00.000-08:00

New York Times- Technology

Cash or Plastic?

Pulling out a credit or debit card at the check out line is just as easy as pulling out a cellphone, but pretty soon, the plastic cards could be obsolete as well as the wallets that carry them.

According to an article from the New York Times, consumers could carry virtual wallets and there personal information including bank account numbers would be accessible at anytime in any location.

ShopSavvy, a new telephone application, allows consumers to scan a barcode and see if it is available cheaper online. If it is, a shopper can make the purchase using one click if they already have a PayPal account.

The article states, "“What we’re trying to do and what we think is very important is to displace the use of cash or checks,” said Scott Thompson, president of PayPal, which is a leader in digitizing money. “We’ll just have one wallet, and it lives in the cloud.”"

Digital money has been talked about for some time and several companies tried and failed at developing the alternative.

The biggest problem that digital wallets face is that Americans think that plastic is just fine and a great alternative to cash. According to the article, "It is also expensive for retailers to install machines to scan cellphones, and many phones’ screens are too reflective for scanners to read."

In Malaysia, chips have been installed in cell phones that access their owner's personal information. With a flick of the wrist, the chip can be scanned at checkouts and no wallet needs to be dragged out.

I think this is a very interesting idea, but for those who are having issues jumping on the technology bandwagon, paying with cash or plastic should still be an option.

I'm intrigued to see what will happen with this idea in a few years, but as the article stated, digital money options have been created and most of them failed, miserably.

Wall Street Journal- Technology

Calculator Hackers

Despite new technologies such as Droid and the iPhone, calculator hackers are still reveling in making the devices do some outrageous tasks.

Some hackers creating star positioning programs, others have created a sort of e-book reader that can only read a few lines at a time because of the tiny screen and one other die hard hacker programmed a game based on Whack-A-Mole.

The article states, "But to engage in some of their antics, hobbyists have to get around the secret Texas Instruments coding that aims to prevent interlopers from hijacking the devices, which sell for about $100. Texas Instruments isn't happy about this, pitting the company against some calculator fans."

Texas Instruments is fighting back against the hackers who have figured out their coding and modified the devices.

"Our intent is to vigorously protect our intellectual property, and we welcome development on our platform as long as it respects our intellectual property," says Lynn Proctor Windle, a spokeswoman for Texas Instruments' Education Technology business.

Modifying the programs and tailoring what the calculator does allows the hobbyists to do new kinds of math problems and tailor the calculator around their mathematical needs. Today, most calculators are owned by engineers or math students.

I think this is so cool. Graphing calculators are a technology that I haven't seen since high school and to see that hackers are still going strong when technology today is so hot, is awesome.

I've never had a graphing calculator, but the men and women that are able to crack into the code and allow these devices to do some pretty intense things is so refreshing. These are the people I want to build the next technology fad.

Monday, November 9- Technology Review

2009-11-09T13:33:00.000-08:00

NY Times
Tweeting Explosion

In nearly 11 months, Twitter posts have exploded from 2.4 million tweets a day to 26 million tweets a day according to an article in the New York Times.

With this amount of information on one Web site, many are beginning to ask the question if there is too much information on the popular status Web site. The article states, "isn’t Twitter about the individual experiences — a Tweeter and her followers — not the totality of millions of Tweeters around the world?"

Twitter users post updates on events such as the Fort Hood shootings, new technology like the iPhone or Kayne West's crazy antics.

Overall, I'm not a big fan of Twitter or posting constant status updating, but I do think it's fascinating how people flock to the site to find updates on events.

Twitter had updates on Fort Hood and made public what Obama really thought of Kanye West. Twitter has an interesting strategy, but I'm not jumping on the band wagon.

Wall Street Journal- Technology

Apple Emerges as Gaming Rival for Nintendo

As Nintendo gets ready to release their newer version of the Nintendo DS, Apple has begin to emerge as a competitor with their iPhone and iPod Touch.

Nintendo has been able to stay in the market for the past 20 years and has remained popular with their hand held gaming devices since the original Game Boy.

The article states, "But the company hasn't been immune to the recent competition from cellphone games and an industrywide slump. Last month, Nintendo reported a 52% drop in profit for the first half of its fiscal year, which ends in March, as sales of its Wii console and DS gadgets cooled. It also predicted its annual profit would fall for the first time in six years."

Satoru Iwata, President of Nintendo Co. says that Nintendo handheld devices offer a gaming experience that any phone, no matter how smart can match.

According to the article, "industry analysts expect Nintendo to launch an entirely new hand-held platform in 2010. Nintendo has made modest changes, adding bigger screens or a slimmer model, to the DS since it was released in 2004."

I have always been a fan of Nintendo gaming systems and I agree with the president, handheld gaming systems offer a different experience than cell phones. I like the screen size and the ability to progress and become more involved in my games. I'm not too familiar with the games from Apple, but I haven't seen many RPG games that can offer the experience like Pokemon or Zelda.

Tuesday, November 3- Technology Review

2009-11-03T16:31:00.000-08:00

New York Times- Technology

AT&T Declares War on Verizon

AT&T has filed a federal lawsuit against its rival, Verizon wireless for their misleading commercials.

In the commercials, two national maps are shown. One is primarly red which indicates Verizon's 3G network. The other, depicts AT&T's 3G coverage with blue speckles.

AT&T believes this map is believing because they do offer a slower network that is not available for their hottest handset, the iPhone. The rest of the map is colored in gray or white depending on where the viewer watches the commercial.

The problem? "In any case, AT&T suggests that this implies that it doesn’t offer service of any sort in the white areas, when in fact it does offer slower service."

The article continues, "The suit cites a survey that AT&T commissioned, which found that 53 percent of consumers (interviewed at a mall) interpreted the ad to mean that AT&T had no coverage in any of the areas of the map that were not in blue. The suit is brought under the Lanham Act, which bans trademark infringement and false advertising."

This is ridiculous AT&T. You have one of the hottest phones on the market. If you're upset that Verizon is poking fun at the fact that your 3G coverage is far and few between, then stop developing ridiculous applications and phones and work on your network.

Wall Street Journal- Technology
Putting Green Technology into Bricks

As more people are developing electric cars, green buildings and more uses for algae, one company wants to rethink bricks and concrete.

CalStar Products Inc. plans on opening a factory that makes bricks from fly ash, which is a byproduct of coal burning.

According to the article, "it claims to use roughly 85% less energy than traditional clay brick manufacturing, with an equivalent reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions."

As a result of the failing housing market, construction spending as plunged. But "the construction that is occurring is more likely to be green," says Michele Russo, a research director at McGraw-Hill Construction.

The process of making bricks has not altered much throughout the years. However, manufacturers have made improvements to the environmental aspects.

In the article, "CalStar forms its bricks from fly ash—a gray, chalky byproduct of burning coal— and a proprietary stew of chemicals. During eight hours of steam baths, the calcium in the fly ash hardens, making bricks that look, feel and act like their clay counterparts, Amitabha Kumar says."

This idea, I think, is very innovative. Brick and concrete are used not only in housing construction but also in road construction and to help reduce the mining of these materials can greatly make a difference.

Monday, October 26- Technology Review

2009-10-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

NY Times- Technology

Film on Dolphin Hunt Stirs Rage in Japan

A new American documentary, "The Cove" sparks controversy into the issue behind the slaughtering of dolphins off the coast of Taiji.

The film has footage of the seas turning red from the slaughter and nearly 13,000 dolphins were killed in Japan in 2007. The documentary, which used hidden cameras, focused on the town of Taiji because the fisherman are notorious at pursuing dolphins using drastic measures.

According to the article, "Japan also hunts whales by using a loophole in the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling that allows whales to be killed for research, though the catch from its research fleet ends up in Japanese supermarkets."

The film had an enthusiastic reception but no one is sure if this will cause a national debate. The article states, "There is also a strong taboo in the Japanese news media against any criticism of the country’s farmers and fishermen, often depicted as heroic defenders of a way of life that is fast disappearing."

“The feeling here is that the world needs to respect cultural differences,” said Testsu Sato, a professor in environmental management at Nagano University. “Why should there even be a debate on this issue?”

The Tokyo Film Festival originally rejected the film and accused producers of trespassing and making false accusations. Filmmakers used fake rocks to disguise their cameras and microphones.

The dolphin hunts will continue as planned through the September- February season.

According to the article, "the switch will not be easy in Taiji, where dolphin meat accounts for a third of the town’s roughly $3 million annual fishing industry. The people of Taiji have hunted coastal whales for 400 years, according to the local whaling museum, and the town’s men serve as harpooners and sailors aboard Japan’s whaling fleet. Dolphin meat is a local delicacy, served raw as sashimi or boiled with soy sauce.

"Continuing, "in recent years, however, the town has become increasingly divided on dolphin hunting. Laboratory tests have shown high levels of mercury in the flesh of dolphins and pilot whales that were caught and sold in Taiji, prompting some local markets to remove them from their shelves."

My heart got ripped out after reading this article and that's what filmmakers wanted. The producers want to pull at the heartstrings of viewers. Their film might be objective, but playing at the audience's empathy stirs up the commotion. And, too often, objectivity and empathy are confused.

I do not believe in slaughtering the whales and dolphins, but a coastal town survives on the profits from the hunt. My biggest concern is the mercury that is festering inside the animals.

Wall Street Journal- Technology

Phone Wars

To help stay afloat in a market dominated by iPhone and Blackberry, Motorola, HTC Corp. and Palm Inc. are creating new devices and advertisements.

According to the article, Motorola is using Google software on their line of new phones and is expected to unveil Droid later this week on the Verizon network.

In the article, ""You can't allow a competitive product to reach mythical proportions," says John Stratton, Verizon's chief marketing officer.""

Smart-phones, phones that run applications and the are able to roam the Internet, have become increasingly popular and sales are expected to jump 29 percent in 2009.

While Blackberry and iPhone seem to have a sort of monopoly on the smart-phone game, I'm just fine with my flip phone that comes complete with its own anti-theft device: the antenna.

Monday, October 19- Technology Review

2009-10-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

NY Times- Technology

Attack of the Droids

Using adds that attack the iPhone, Verizon is unveiling their new Moterolla phone, Droid.

This isn't the first time that Verizon has attacked the Apple iphone and with the newest commercial, it may be harder for the iPhone to come over to Verizon's network in 2010. Talks were said to have begun earlier this year.

Droid is said to have done voice recognition, have a full-sized keyboard and much more. Droid's Web site calls it a robot side kick that moves at light speed.

With Apple's catchy one liner "There's an app for that" no one should have been surprised that the idea is mimicked and copied. I remember the Master Card adds that were used on shirts, billboards and other advertising means.

It doesn't surprise me that the iPhone is being attacked; what surprises me is how blatantly Verizon is doing it. But it worked. I'm really curious for Droid.

Wall Street Journal- Technology

MySpace Attempts to Be Cool Once Again

With the rise in popularity in social networking sites, MySpace has noticed that their ad revenue is down as is their membership. To help boost sales, MySpace is now starting a campaign to help make it cool once again and plans on focusing on music, games and video.

The article states, "MySpace says ramping up its technology initiatives to create new products that let users share such content with friends is an essential part of its strategy."

The article also states, "MySpace's online-hangout push marks an effort to focus its offerings and differentiate itself from rival Facebook. As an entertainment site, MySpace would compete for ad dollars with a broader group of Web sites, including online video sites like Google's YouTube and Hulu, a joint venture ofGeneral Electric's NBC Universal, News Corp. and Walt Disney. It also would compete against music sites like Pandora and portals like AOL, which is also trying to reinvent itself with a push to create content."

This is a very good idea for MySpace. I haven't touched mine in years and I'm afraid to see how many notifications I have. My only problem is when Facebook began to change, users were angry. The social networking site was no longer just for college students, it is now for companies, high schools and even worse, parents. Facebook now has games and a ridiculous number of applications that seemed to model after MySpace. Many users threaten to quit; there are plenty of angry groups towards the new layout.

Facebook is still doing quite well, in my opinion, with their new layout, but MySpace's push to be cool once again might spark an anger that could ultimately hurt them.

Sunday, October 11- Technology Review

2009-10-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

NY Times- Technology

No Need to Inject

People with diabetes may no longer need to inject themselves with insulin to help maintain healthy bloodsugar levels thanks to a new device created by MannKind Corporation. With the new device, Afresa, people are able to inhale insulin powder which is absorbed through the lungs and is then absorbed into the bloodstream.

The new device fits in one hand and a second generation is already being created and will be about the size of the whistle.

Afresa is currently up for marketing approval with the Food and Drug Administration and according to the article insulin powder is not new. The article states, "it was introduced by Pfizer with a product called Exubera in 2006. But the inhaler used with Exubera was large and awkward, some critics contended, which may have been a reason the product didn’t become popular. It was withdrawn less than two years after federal approval."

The device is only for adults who suffer from Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and if the system is approved by the FDA, these adults can find it available next year.

I know a little girl who was diagnosed with diabetes when she was three years old. Now, nearly five years later, her young life revolves around her diabetes. She checks her own blood sugar before every snack or meal and with her parents help, she decides how much insulin to administer to herself. Because of her diabetes, she also has celiacs disease.

I hope that Afresa does catch on and when this little girl is older, she will no longer have to wear the pump and inject herself with insulin. This is just one great step into conquering diabetes or at least making living with diabetes easier.

Wall Street Journal- Technology
Video Games for Women

To help expand their business, video game firms have not started developing and marketing games that are targeted to women and girls.

With the advancement of Nintendo's Wii and DS, women and girls have been better able to get involved in the technology community. And, for this holiday season, a number of new games have hit the market to help increase female game players and to help increase sales.

According to financial firm Wedbush Morgan, female game players now account for about 40% of the overall market, compared with the IDC research firm's estimate of less than 12% in 2001. Wedbush calculates that a 5% increase in female players could translate into as much as $1 billion in new revenue every year. To help with the increase in female players, new games such as Littlest Pet Shop, Hannah Montana, Your Shape and others have been created.

The article states, Tony Key, Ubisoft's senior vice president of sales and marketing, said the company previously focused just on games for male users but now considers games for girls and women to be an important part of their business. The company has doubled its marketing spending and its investment into research of the female market in the last two years. And since Imagine, it has increased development of such games with series like virtual pet game "Petz" and fashion game "StyleLab."

Despite that it took so long, I think it's great that there are a number of options for girls and women who want to get involved in the cyber world. I remember as a young girl that my brother would not allow me to play certain games becasue they were for boys. I wasn't even allowed to play with his male action figures.

My one concern is that the games follow a certain pattern. Many of the games are about glamor, pets or staying in shape. Some girls, myself included, enjoy playing role playing games, RPG, and I hope they do develop games like that for women. What about a version of Zelda with a female elf?

Tuesday, October 6- Technology Review

2009-10-06T07:26:00.000-07:00

Ny Times- Technology

The Mobile Phone Moves to Africa

Banana farmers in Uganda now have a whole new world at their fingertips according to an article in the New York Times.

Laban Rutagumirwa is a local banana farmer but now with his cell phone that he must charge with a car battery, he is able to communicate with local farmers and scientists in the capital of Uganda. His cellphone allows him to take pictures, have farmers take surveys, and communicate which all helps figure out mysterious diseases that are plaguing banana trees.

“We never had any idea about getting information with the phone,” Mr. Rutagumirwa said. “It was a mystery. Now our mind is wide open.”

According to the article, Africa has the fastest-growing mobile phone network and entrepreneurs are eagerly seizing opportunities. The article states, "Millions of Africans, for example, now use their mobile phones to transfer money, turn on water wells, learn soccer game scores and buy and sell goods."

The Internet was unable to catch on in Africa because of the lack of electricty but with global positioning technology, the mobile phone is far greater than that of the Internet in Africa, especially in rural areas, making it the most accessible communication tool, said Jon Gossier, founder and president of Appfrica, a technology company with headquarters in Uganda.

I think this is a great development in Africa. The hype and the technological advances in mobile phone networks is outstanding, and I'm glad that countries like Uganda are able to use it for the greater good. It may take a four-mile walk to charge the cell phone, but the results are making a difference in local banana farms.

Wall Street Journal- Technology

Springsteen, You Sellout

To help explain the Internet's open policy, the Federal Communications Commission called on Bruce Springsteen. Julius Genachowski of the FCC isn't quite sure where Springsteen stands on the Internet's policy, but The Boss was able to put together a fun riff to communicate his ideas.

“Everywhere from the Streets of Philadelphia to My Hometown in New York, every Bobby Jean and every Jersey Girl l should be counting on the Internet remaining free and open, not Counting on a Miracle. They should count on The Rising of millions of voices to beat back any Darkness on the Edge of Town, or broadband Badlands that could threaten limited choice and create potential bottlenecks.

“The people who built the Internet were working on more than a computer network, they were Working on a Dream. It was a network that was Born to Run in a land of open protocols, (the Promised Land). The Internet is more than an information highway, it is a telecom Thunder Road of wonderfully chaotic creativity and it will be a Lonesome Day if that is ever lost. But, hold on, Janey, Don’t You Lose Heart, because the FCC will be taking up open Internet rules in the near future.”

I'm not a big fan of the FCC. I actually believe we don't need it but that's a debate for a different blog entry. What irks me most is that the FCC needed to call upon a music sensation to help explain the policy. In the article, the FCC stated they don't know Springsteen's stand on the issue, so why have him at all? Is the FCC struggling that badly that they need to call in big celebrities? The FCC just proved how worthless they really are. And Springsteen? Your new riff makes you look like a fool.

Tuesday, September 29- Technology Review

2009-09-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

NY Times- Technology

Because Parents No Longer Want to Snuggle and Read With Their Children

According to an article through New York Times, Disney Publishing is unveiling today a new way to read their storybooks. For $79.95 a year, families can access electronic copies of hundreds of childrens' books that are aimed at children ages 3-12 and are organized by reading level.

In the article, “For parents, this isn’t going to replace snuggle time with a storybook,” said Yves Saada, vice president of digital media. “We think you can have different reading formats co-existing together.”

DisneyDigitalBooks.com has a "look and listen" section that allows beginners to hear the words read aloud by voice actors. Another area is dedicated to readers who are able to read on their own. If an unfamiliar word is found, the reader can click it and a voice will say it out loud. Chapter books are available for teens and the Web site also offers trivia features.

I fondly remember reading with my parents when I was younger. I loved snuggling up next to my mother and hearing her sweet voice read me some of my favorite books. When I got older, I would read to her.

My biggest concern with this Web site, although it has wonderful features, is that it does replace quality times. It also gives children another reason to glue themselves to the computer screen. I feel as if using the library for free would and could also accomplish the same things that Disney is trying.

Wall Street Journal- Technology
A Slow Holiday

Tickle Me Elmo. iPhone. Nintendo Wii. Furby.

Nearly every holiday season, there is a new gadget or toy that caputres the excitement of shoppers. This year, there is no new gadget in site and technology stores including Walmart, Radioshack and Best Buy are trying not to fret.

According to the article, shoppers are thrifty and frugale with the slow economy and are still willing to spend money but they also want value. What retail stores are competing against is incremental technology developments and shoppers who have already upgraded to larger televisions or laptops.

"The fact is that with most of these products, people already have one," said Stephen Baker of market researcher NPD Group. "In this environment, retailers are scuffling trying to get customers to buy another."

With the economy the way it is, shoppers this year have quite a hurdle to jump over and with the lack of a new Christmas must have, predictions are flying about that this year's shopping season will be as bad as the last.

Content, Pictures, Info Architecture & Then Some

2009-09-22T08:04:00.000-07:00

I feel as if I've been repeating some of thoughts week after week. My ultimate goal with this Web site is to show 10-15 year old adolescents how to eat right, work out and get the most from everything they do. I want the Web site to be colorful, easy to navigate and just down right fun. The viewers should want to access this site at least once a day. I also want pictures of adolescents eating right, doing fun activities and generally being healthy and having fun doing it. (See pictures in last post.) I also want to include the food pyramid.

And, yes, The United States Department of Agriculture has changed the pyramid. Why, I'm not quite sure yet. First they got rid of Pluto and now this.

As for naming this site, I have a few ideas, but one doesn't stand out to me.
Fit as a Fiddle
KidFit
Healthy Kid
Daily Bread
(I'm always open to suggestions!!!!)

Saturday, September 19- Technology Review

2009-09-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

NY Times- Technology

For New York Parents, an App That Embraces Change

Diapers Are Gross

Even Obama would support this change. Thanks to progressive mother,Lara Serebrier Paul, and her one-year old son, she developed a new application for the iPhone. iKidNY is paired up with Google Maps and has a database of over 2,000 restaurants, playgrounds, libraries, subway elevators and changing tables in New York that allows parents to find the closest infant-friendly location to avoid a diaper emergency.

“This is not a child-friendly city” said Ms. Serebrier Paul in the article. “There needs to be more subways elevators, and many restaurants make it clear that fussy babies are not welcome.”

Since the application went live, more kid-friendly locations have been added to help making changing diapers an easier process.

Web Trickz

Protect Yo Stuff

Easy File Locker – Best way to Protect your files & folders

Privacy is a big concern on the tips of tongues of American's technology-savvy lifestyle. According to an article on Webtrickz, a free and easy software that can be downloaded allows for folder privacy.

Easy File Locker "provides high protection and unable users to open, read, modify, delete, move, copy the locked files/folders, or even not be able to see it."

The software allows has a password protector GUI (I don't know what that is) and uninstaller.

This software seems like a good idea of college students, graduates, and professionals alike. In the case of theft, files and folders are protected from complete damage and can still be accessed if the laptop is returned. Or, if you're a friendly person who lets friends and other guests use their computer, this is also a great idea for preventing prying eyes.

Week Three- Design, Content & Photographs

2009-09-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese. I really want this project and Web site to convey that the child is beautiful no matter how much they weigh, but presented to them are helpful tips to be healthy and remain healthy in a healthy environment.

The academy also states, "a few extra pounds do not suggest obesity. However they may indicate a tendency to gain weight easily and a need for changes in diet and/or exercise."

Obesity in Children and Teens

Now, if I remember correctly, this blog entry needed pictures posted of the issue and the target audience. Again, I want to stress that I want the Web site to be positive, uplifiting so I want to including pictures of children working out, eating healthy and having fun.

Web MD- Childhood Obesity
American Heart Association- Overweight Children
Reuters- Childhood Obesity & Allergies U.S. News- Obese Children & Lower-Body Injuries

These Web sites provide great ideas for content, images and other necessary stuff for my site.
Ace Fitness- Children & Running
Healthy Eating: A Guide for Teens The Plus Side of Family Meals Home Alone Recipes During my research, I came across a children's health Web site that discusses, healthy eating, sickness, staying safe, anatomy and other topics kids need to know about. I love the set up, the colors and the overall comfort and fun this site provides. This is what I want my site to look like.

Kids' Health

OOO! On the Kid's Healthy Web site under the Teens tab, I found what I've been looking for. It's a table that allows teens to track their workouts! The Web site also presents great tips for healthy workouts and how to get the best from a work out.

***As I've been doing more research, I'm contemplating changing my age group to 10-15 year old children. I want to merge together ideas from different sites into one location and I think my original age group didn't have the maturity to deal with it just quite yet.***

Tuesday, September 15- Technology Review

2009-09-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

New York Times- Technology

I-Phones and Speech Impairment

According to an article by the New York Times, people suffering from speech impairment disorders are pushing for insurers and Medicare to cover the cost of iPhones and netbook PC's.

The argument is that iPhones and netbook PC's, although helpful and inexpensive, can be used outside of medical purposes. The medical computers given are clunky, slow and cost nearly 10-20 times an I-Phone.

In the article, Kara Lynn who lost her ability to speak due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, uses the $300 3G iPhone to convert text to speech and helps her communicate with her young son who has Down syndrome.

“We would not cover the iPhones and netbooks with speech-generating software capabilities because they are useful in the absence of an illness or injury,” said Peter Ashkenaz, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the article.

The article also states that "For the millions of Americans with A.L.S., Down syndrome, autism, strokes and other speech-impairing conditions, the insurance industry’s aversion to covering mainstream devices adds to the challenges they face."

This is a very powerful article. As the cost of helpful technology drops, companies are finding it hard to compete and keep up. Granted that the iPhone can be used for other purposes, manufactures might be able to come up with a way to block usage of certain program and only allow the programs and applications that can be used for medical purposes.

Although I don't own an iPhone or even an iPod, I have always been fascinated with the programs and applications these Apple products can run. And it pleases me that Apple has generated software to help those who have A.L.S., Down syndrome or other speech impairing disorders.

Webtrickz

Don't Steal My Laptop

According to an article on Webtricks.com, if a laptop is in threat of being stolen or has been stolen, software can trigger an alarm to sound. This software, LAlarm, can also retrieve and destroy data if the computer has been stolen.

The article states, "LAlarm consists of five alarms and other security functions designed to protect laptops and data against theft as well as to prolong the battery lifetime."

During my undergraduate years, I had a laptop. It wasn't the best, but it worked for me. I made sure that if I was at a coffee house, it followed me wherever I went, but either than that, I didn't build a mote around it from stopping people to get to it. My roommate freshman year was different. She bolted her computer to her bed, even when she was using it.

Laptop security is much more important with laptops and other electronics coming with more bells and whistles. This preventative measure might save documents, files or even your computer.

Sunday, September 6-Technology Review

2009-09-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

New York Times- Technology

Target Gadgets

According to an article by the New York Times, the elderly and the very young have never been target groups for companies but with the recent economic downturn, these companies are turning to new technologies to help market to these groups.

The article states, "“Targeting technology to the very old and the very young is a fast-growing field,” said Mark Neerincx, a professor of man-machine interaction at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. “This is going to be a big business.”"

The article also states that nearly 30 percent of the nation's population is over the age of 55 and this year alone, it is projected that they will spend $1.6 trillion. Because this age group is willing to spend money on electronics to enhance their lives, companies are creating senior-friendly cellular telephones as well as other gadgets.

Other companies have shifted their eyes at the other end of the spectrum. Toddler-sized robots show empathetic facial features and also teach children how to avoid overeating. Toothbrushes are also being designed to help teach children how to brush correctly.

According to the article, "The audible reminders are supposed to encourage children to brush for a full two minutes and to help parents monitor that the job has been done, said Hubert Grealish, a Philips product manager.

This article really helped reaffirm my faith in technology companies. They're seeing a problem and they're fixing it. The companies are making the best of a bad economic situation and developing products that will help the future and those who helped build the present.

Not to mention, these gadgets look really cool. I completely base a good portion of my purchases on how something looks. The more buttons or the shinier the exterior, the more prone to I am to buy it. I bought a pair of running shoes based on their mesh exterior and black paint job; they made my feet hurt for a month, but I feel like a awesome every time I wear them.

Rhizome At the New Museum

Interview with Grace Kook Anderson

With more and more children, students and adults playing role-play games, artists are looking to these games for inspiration.

The Laguna Art Museum at Laguna Beach is hosting through October 4, "WoW: Emergent Media Phenomenon." The exhibit looks at the cultural impact of the fantasy environment in World of Warcraft.

In the article, the writer interviews the curator of the exhibit and several key issues were discussed including democracy in RPG games and how the players add more to the game with their artwork and passion.

The article states, "In the case of quite a few of the artists, WoW imagery or content is used to point to greater issues, such as questioning the idea of networking and community or looking at the implications of globalization and the threat of terrorism," said Anderson.

Anderson immersed herself into the game to learn more about the players, the game and the culture that goes with WoW.

"But in my research, I also became interested in overarching ideas of medievalism and neo-medieval currents in today’s global and political climate—Umberto Eco’sDreaming in the Middle Ages and Bruce Holsinger’s more recent Neomedievalism, Neoconservatism, and the War on Terror were particularly useful—and subversive attitudes using the medium of an MMORPG."

Although I do not play WoW, I do have many friends that have and I have always noticed the popularity of the game. WoW has changed my generations views on gaming because of the mix of fantasy and reality and how players are able to interact and communicate. Like the article stated, the game allows players to go into a democratic world that's not just fairies, griffins and other fantasy creatures. The article helps bring the game to life.

Week Two- Communication Strategies

2009-09-06T14:30:00.001-07:00

With childhood obesity on the rise, adds for a positive overall change in families are increasing and adds on children's television stations showing healthy eating tips are also on the rise. Both strategies don't necessarily use humor, whimsical music or an annoying talking dog to get the point across. These media strategies rely on not only bright colors and authenticity but also the ability to talk to the parents and children as equals.

A Web site that helps children become healthy and happy should talk to the children as equals and adults. By the ages of 8-13, children are aware of what they put into their bodies and how to be active and this Web site should help children take this responsibility to the next level.

I believe to get the message across the children, only positive language should be used and the children should be talked to as adults. The children should never be referred to as fat or obese. The children are already beautiful but learning how to take better care of what gets put into their stomachs and what sort of exercise they do can help their future.

The logo, illustrations, and animations, I propose, should be spring/summer colors. The bright colors are uplifting and fun. Children should want to visit this site and monitor their new-found healthy habits. And all of these aspects should revolve around the idea of being motivators for children.

The Web site should not rely on animations alone. I do not want a talking dog teaching children how to eat better portions. The Web site should have interactive buttons and graphs that allow children to scroll over for fast facts. If more information is wanted, the children can find what they are looking for and read articles, tips, and how to's that can help them reach goals.

Week Two- Target Group

2009-09-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

Web sites about childhood obesity have information and content that is geared toward the parents are guardians who are interested or concerned regarding this issue, but why aren't there many sites that have this information geared towards the children themselves?

To help children reach healthy goals, certain television stations are airing little snippets and tips about how other children are getting into shape and changing their lives. Certain Web sites have easy-to-manage charts that allow adults to track their work outs and weight-loss progression. I propose that there should be an interactive site that dictates helpful tips for healthy eating as well as charts that allow children to track their weight loss.

British Parents Unaware
A report finds that British parents are unaware of exactly how long children are browsing on the internet. The report states that the parents believe that there children are online nearly 20 hours per week when British children spend an average of 43.5 hours per week online.

Nielson Online

Teens & Social Media

Week Two- Topic Research

2009-09-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Obesity in children is becoming an issue in a world that is dependent on meals served sufficiently fast not sufficiently nutritious. Without much pun intended, childhood obesity is becoming yet another elephant in an already crowded room.

*The Mayo Clinic

The below images show a 22-year increase in obesity in adults. Although I am focusing on the obesity in children, the Web site states, "though these maps are based on adult data, a similar series reflecting historical and current rates of overweight and obesity among U.S. children and teens would show equally alarming changes."

* The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

More research links:

Social Circles and Eating Habits in Children
Snack Calculator
School Running Programs
It's Not Baby Fat
Obesity: No. 1 Concern in Children

Week One- Media Diet

2009-09-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

There was a time when my life didn't revolve around work and school. My life revolved around making ends meet by serving chili and cleaning tables. When I wasn't doing that, I was at home, glued to my computer, surfing without water.

As I surfed, I developed a pattern and visited several sites in a specific order. I couldn't function properly if I didn't know what was happening outside of my apartment walls. Now that my schedule has changed, so did my patterns, but don't you worry, I still visit all of these sites.

1. Drew Curtis' Fark.com
Drew Curtis is a genius. Everyone can find and read the general news stories of the day, but there's only one person I comes to mind that has the ability to find the most ridiculous news stories throughout the world from the most ludicrous of sources and post them in one convenient spot. I could read about the California forest fires at just about any major news Web site, but where I could easily find out about the epic fail that one couple assaulted and used a tazer on another couple. Oh, they make up fun headlines.

2. Awkward Family Photos
If there ever is a day you need to feel better about yourself, your family or your childhood, view this site.
There are several other pictures that I thoroughly enjoy, but this one is probably the most appropriate for class.

3. Cake Wrecks
A-not-so secret of mine is baking. I love putting ingredients in a bowl and watching a chemical reaction take place and- voila! I've recently started decorating birthday cakes (ask to see the pirate ship cake or Dora's backpack) and I love seeing what professionals and amateurs can do. This site only uses cakes from professionals that go horribly wrong. I'm not sure if this is surprising or scary, but there are enough photographs and entries to update this blog daily.

4. Post Secret
This community-art project has always had a special place in my heart. Individuals with secrets send them in to a man they have probably never met. He posts some of the most heart warming, gut wrenching and tear jerking secrets on the Web site and viewers are able to take comfort knowing there are other people out there going through the same situations. I've purchased two of the books and hope to purchase others.

5. Offbeat Bride
I have never been a traditionalist, and with my wedding swiftly approaching, I needed and wanted to find a mecca for people like me. I wanted to find more people who wanted to serve pizza at their wedding not brazed salmon in a lemon sauce. I needed to find people who loved the idea of making their own invitations, centerpieces and flowers. Offbeat Bride (and several creative craft books) saved my life. I'm not walking down the isle; I'm dancing. My heels will not be stark white and my future-husband and I are purchasing customized Chuck Taylors to wear during the reception. Thanks to this Web site, my wedding will be nothing short of rock star.

Several other Web sites that I also frequent are:

woot.com and its sister sites

1 Sale a Day

Texts From Last Night

Daily Mail