Microsoft is Back... But They're Copying Mac!

This past week at the Professional Developer's Conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft decided to demonstrate their new operating system, Windows 7 in hopes of shifting the company away from the problems of Vista. The new system attempts to "combine the PC, phone and web, [and even has] touch-screen elements for applications" (http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3781271/Windows+7+Gets+Its+ComingOut+Party.htm).

The new OS has many new elements not seen in Vista; a new service called Device Stage puts devices such as laptops, printers, PCs, attached storage and even Windows Mobile Phones on one network for readily available access to specific devices. The sidebar previously seen is now gone and users can place their widgets anywhere on desktop; and even with programs such as Word, when an application is open, thumbnails are shown with all of the open documents within the program, making it simple and easy to access a file with a single click.

As innovative as the new operating system sounds, I feel that the widget placement and the Device Stage service seem to stem from Mac ideas. Users already have the "user-friendly" ease of desktop freedom, and the iPod, iPhone, iMac, MacBook, etc. are all used with iTunes. The only creative element of Windows 7 that seems very appealing is the touch-screen ability, but with that said, multiple Mac products already have that capability. It will be very interesting to see how the product does when it is released openly to the public. Until then, however, although Microsoft is back, they are copying Mac...


Amanda Ply
Thursday 8am

MTV Finally Remembers What the 'M' Stands For

For the past decade, MTV has gradually begun to shift away from television about music to television about trashy people making fools of themselves for our entertainment. Reality shows such as The Real World, Date My Mom, Next, Viva la Bam, and The Hills have come to represent a television station that was once renowned for its music videos. While MTV is definitely amusing to watch in its current state, the network has fortunately found a way to get back to its old self. According to a post on Digg.com (http://digg.com/tech_news/MTV_smacks_YouTube_posts_almost_every_music_video_ever), MTV launched a new website, MTVMusic.com, yesterday. On this site, users can access MTV’s vast archive of music videos, as well as exclusive concert footage. The website is free to use, and provides an easy-to-navigate search engine through which users can find their favorite videos and live MTV performances simply by typing in the name of a song or artist. As the Digg post points out, the launch of this website will surely create competition for YouTube. While YouTube is known for its extensive selection of videos about pretty much anything imaginable, MTV is a trusted source for music videos. A site dedicated solely to music videos, with every video available in one place, will be very appealing to potential users. Hopefully, this new site will help MTV to re-gain its status in the music world—because after all, MTV stands for Music Television, not Mindless Television.

Maya Pollak
Thursday 9am

TrueCall

Have you ever wished you could have your own private secretary to take care of your calls? Well now introducing TrueCall, your first secretary that does not require a regular salary. TrueCall, however is automated, but that should not cause buyers to shy away from this new technology. It has the power to forwarded trusted numbers to your phone or answer trusted numbers with an automated message. Furthermore, when a number dials in that TrueCall does not recognize, it asks them who they are and then rings you and asks whether or not you want to take the call.
TrueCall is around the size of a paperback book. You can plug it into your phone line at home and it checks every call you receive better letting your phone ring. The company recommends that if you are getting “nuisance” calls that you should invest in TrueCall. You are probably wondering the price of this gadget. For $99.99 you can order online your own TrueCall. Furthermore, the company offers both 70 and 140 hour message and call recorder if the buyer felt it necessary. Also the site offers an extender for telephones that are far away from plugs.
A good investment? If you are prone to receiving endless amounts of these “nuisance” calls, or just would like your own automated secretary for a one time price, then I think TrueCall is just for you!

Anna Larsson
Thursday 8am

T-Mobile G1: Efficiency and Ease Has Arrived

T-Mobile USA, Inc announced today that the highly anticipated T-Mobile G1 has arrived in stores in 95 U.S. cities. The G1 comes with Google and is the first Android™-powered mobile phone. It comes with full touch screen functionality, QWERTY keyboard, and an expansive mobile Web experience, which includes dozens of Android Market applications and popular Google products. The T-Mobile G1 has a keyboard that slides out with ease and a one touch simulator for Google Search as well as other services such as G-mail, Google Talk, Google Calendar, and Youtube, all efficient to use and find on the main screen. Google Maps has become simplified when searching for certain addresses by typing in the particular information and the phone can show the individual a "street view" of the location for precise help while driving. T-Mobile G1 is the first phone to offer access to the Android Market, an operating system that includes games to social networking and on-the-go shopping that can be personalized to enhance the mobile lifestyle. More than 1.5 million phones were pre-ordered at a price of $179. One complaint has been that the Android system has not been fully exempt of connection problems. However, as of now, consumers are ready to purchase.

The T-Mobile G1 proves that technology is still advancing and that consumers are still driven to purchase whatever new innovation is offered. The G1 is a more efficient phone with applications that have not been included before and it is trying to rival the Iphone in terms of function and design. While phones were once used for simply staying in touch with friends and family, is now a device that can provide entertainment, organization, and guidance. I have never felt compelled to have a computer as a phone, but realizing the plethora of applications I could access, I realized that the G1 is just another step towards technology domination and the end to computer assistance. I am certain that the first batch of phones will contain problems with the Android system and if it will be able to access all the applications successfully. Time will tell.

Darren Pearlman
Thursday 9AM
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId

The Internet and Cell Phones Keepin’ the Fam Together

An article found on InformationWeek.com analyzes how the Internet and cell phones have helped to bring families together and promote online understanding. A “Networked Families” study found that 33% of Internet users believe that the Internet has increased their “social connections” and 23% find that it has increased their “intrafamily communication.”
Individuals are able to stay connected throughout the day due to the Internet and cell phones, which has led to an increase in communication among family members and friends. This directly conflicts with all the speculation that technology is making us spend less time with our family. From personal experience, I know that I communicate with my mom thanks to cell phones… anything from getting a wine stain off a dress to how to cook fish… she is just a quick phone call away. The Internet and cell phones have both become increasingly important to the majority of society, so I'm sure that these statistics will continue to grow as companies discover technological advances for more savvy gadgets to communicate with.


http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/messaging/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211201949#mon

Devin McCloskey
Thursday 8am

PlantBot and Robotic Plants: Solution to Deforestation?

For those who have problems taking care of their plants in their homes, the Play Coalition, a group of techies who like to design things just for fun, have invented the PlantBot. PlantBot is a four-legged gadget that holds your plant and is designed to seek out the sun. It moves toward the sunlight and plops itself down wherever it feels had an adequate amount of sun. As our planet continues to be taken for granted and deforestation continues to occur, how will we get our oxygen? PlantBot could be your solution, but the Chonnam National University in Korea has created their own solution. They have created a robotic plant that emits oxygen and moisture. It is four-feet tall and includes a pot and a stem. It bends toward you as you approach it and begins to bloom. When voices are raised, it shakes in response and it also responds to music and light as it opens and closes its petals, dancing to the music. Though these contraptions are fun, they are kind of creepy and I can't help but to think of the dystopian views of technology.

Sophia Oyama
Thursday 9 AM
Articles found on Engadget

Forget the Front Desk: Hotels Go High Tech

At the Malibu Beach Inn in Malibu, California, a product called "Hotel Evolution" is being debuted after being tested in various hotels in the L.A. area. Runtriz is a software firm based in Hollywood, CA, and is the company in charge of this project. When guests arrive at the hotel, they are asked if they have either an iPod touch or an iPhone, and if they do the staff loads the Runtriz Hotel web application to the device, which allows the functions that usually require a call from the in-room phone or a personal trip to the concierge to be done with a single touch. If guests do not have either of these devices, they are given an iPod Touch with the application pre-programmed. From the screen anyone can order room service, set a wake up call, have your luggage or car delivered, have laundry done, or even have a "Do Not Disturb" sign put up on your room - all this without having to move a foot! Information on attractions and such is also available on this web page. The web application allows them to modify and easily install the app to the phones, and it also will allow the easy manipulation of the page to fit to other mobile devices in the future. This technology may even become useful in areas outside hotels as well, such as at ball stadiums. It is literally a concierge on-the-go, with services available readily and 24/7. A location-based service on these applications would allow this to be a possibility, and this is not a far-fetched idea.

Full Article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/11/AR2008101101571.html

October 20, 2008
Kathryn McCormack
Thursday 8 am

Spore Gets Cute and Creepy

Spore, a computer game much like the Sims series, is a multi-genre single player game. It allows for players to create characters from the beginning as a unicellular organism and watch it evolve. The game itself is revolutionary in that all players are connected through the internet, creating worlds for their spore creatures in which players worldwide can connect. It is an ever expanding, never ending game created by its players: it is a personal and customizable experience. Electronic Arts, the game’s distributor, announced this week that an expansion pack, called the Spore Creepy & Cute Parts Pack, will be released later this year (as early as next month). This expansion pack will allow, for the first time, the ability for “players’ space faring creatures to beam down from their spaceships to explore new planets and earn rewards for completing challenging missions. A new Adventure Creator will allow players to build and share online their own custom missions, providing almost endless gameplay possibilities.” Introducing over 100 new character and world creating features, this game is like nothing else on the market: the consumer is not only building the game, but creating it for others to play.

http://kotaku.com/5063221/spore-gets-cute-and-creepy-space-adventures

Morgan O'Malley

9am Thursday

Invention: Billboards that know you at a touch

The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute in Daejon, South Korea, is currently working on an idea that sounds like it was taken right out of a Science Fiction story. It is a new way of advertising. Their idea involves billboards that people would be able to touch and then information that was geared towards that particular person would appear. It sounds like the sort of advertising that was part of the world in Minority Report, where people walking through the mall would have their eyes scanned and advertisements directed at them would play. The Research Institute is working off of theories that include "skin-clinging radio waves, or tiny vibrations through the skeleton that let people swap data with a handshake." I don't know how valid their research is or how well these other theories work but the idea that advertising could be so personal because of a new bit of technology is somewhat daunting. People got parinoid when facebook.com was giving advertisers information about their clients. Imagine if the advertisers did not have to go through any outside source but could tell with just one touch what sorts of products a person would buy. What an invasion of privacy that would be.

Amanda Kirkham
Thurs. 8AM Lab

Full article:
http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn14921-invention-billboards-that-know-you-at-a-touch.html

Assignment #2 - Social Media in the 2008 Election

US election battle goes online

Obama Text Messaging On Today Show

My.Barackobama.com Tutorial


The purpose of this assignment is to get you to think about the impact new communication technologies have on the political process. While traditional technologies such as newspapers and television still account for a majority of the political information disseminated in the United States, social media is a playing a larger role in the political process. You may wish to read Wired’s article, “How the Internet Invented Howard Dean” as a starting point for this paper.

You paper should be a minimum of 2 to 3 pages and structured in three sections. Remember to include a works cited section. First, describe how a new communication technology is being used in this election in a way that is fundamentally different from the election eight years ago. Does this technology create a community of users, does it coordinate political actions, or does it provide a mechanism for distributing information? Provide a detailed description.

Second, describe the potential impact of the technology. What characteristic’s of this technology makes it an effective political tool? Do you believe this technology will have an impact in the coming election? Will this technology be significant in the future elections?

Third, experiment with these technologies and write about your experience. How easy were they to use? What did you like about it vs. what did you dislike? Did you have any problems using it?

Finally, remember I don’t care who you vote for I just want you to vote. That’s the beauty of our nation.


SUGGESTIONS FOR PART III
Text Message Alerts

Little Green Footballs

Wonkette
There are numerous politically oriented facebook groups.

POTENTIAL TOPICS OF INTEREST:
Social Networking Sites
Youtube and Online Video Sharing of Speeches and Debates
Mobile Phones
Political Blogging

The Polar FT40 Fitness Training Computer

For all of the fitness maniacs and gym rats out there, a new product called the Polar FT40 training computer has entered the market of fitness gadgets. The Polar FT40 comes in a wrist watch or a chest strap. While the past fitness gadgets have assisted workout sessions such as allowing people to monitor their heart-rate, timed their run, keep track of distance ran, and their pace, the Polar FT40 adds a new feature to these already helpful tools for workout sessions. The Polar FT40 training computer allows an individual to see whether he/she is training in a fat-burning zone or simply a fitness zone. This information is extremely important to an individual who wants to maintain a certain workout in order to achieve their goal. The product has fraction type of display. Desonta Holder gives the example an example of how the product works:

“For example, if your fitness zone is a heart rate of 115 or higher, you'll always see the number 115 beneath a bigger number indicating your actual heart rate. You'll know to keep your heart rate below 115 if you want to be in the fat-burning zone and above 115 for the fitness zone.”

Those looking to lose some weight or maintain their weight will want to stay in the fat-burning zone. In the fitness zone, the individual will be giving himself or herself a high intensity workout while increasing their blood circulation to their muscles. Depending on the individual’s goals, this product can help them stay in certain zones to achieve their goals from maintaining their weight to extremely transforming their body.

Some other features includes a fitness test where the Polar FT40 helps you to determine you fitness level, from very low to elite. For this, the individual will wear the gadget and lie down for a few minutes as the FT40 measures his/her aerobic capacity. A chart is given in the user manual that helps you interpret the results. Also, after every training session, your calories burned, percentage of fat calories burned, average heart rate, max heart rate and time spent in either the fitness zone and/or fat-burning zone is displayed. The 50 most recent workout sessions are stored in your FT40 and can be transferred to polarpersonaltrainer.com where a journal with detailed graphs can be kept to monitor progress made.

Probably some of the greatest features of this product and the most overlooked is its simplicity and comfort. It is relatively easy to punch a couple of buttons to enter your weight, height, age, and sex. The chest strap and wrist watch is extremely comfortable and stays in place despite intense workouts. The product is also water proof, which allows you to swim with it.

Despite the Polar FT40 looking very much like a giga pet, it has many tools that helps you monitor your progress and hopefully can also help to motivate people to work for a more healthy and fit lifestyle.

-Sam Hua

Original Article

BlackBerry's New Phone Ready to Storm Market

With a sharp rise in popularity and sales of Apple's iPhone 3G and T-Mobile's T-1, it was only a matter of time before their elite competitor BlackBerry unveiled its next generation phone. On Saturday, photographs of the next BlackBerry device, the Storm, were leaked onto a website called the Boy Genius Report. The handheld is being designed by Research in Motion (RIM), who has declined comment regarding the leak, but is expected to make a formal announcement Wednesday. Its sleek appearance and touchscreen design certainly bear a close resemblance to the iPhone 3G, not to mention its similar capabilities which include GPS Navigation, Facebook, an application center, games, and a media player. The devices are almost identical in size and screen resolution. However, the Storm has some capabilities not found on iPhone such as horizontal viewing for emails and web pages and a 3.2 megapixel camera, a much higher quality feature than than Apple's 2.0 megapixel unit.

As touchscreen smartphones sales continue to skyrocket, I expect the Storm to swiftly crash the market whenever it is released. Amidst iPhone 3G bugs possibly surfacing in the next few months, BlackBerry will be wise to release this highly anticipated product that seems poised to challenge for the top spot among phones of its kind. The competitors better keep an eye out for the Storm. 

Alex Karasik

 This article by Anita Hamilton was found in the Time magazine's online Business & Tech section, dated Oct. 7, 2008.

Obama takes campaign to the iPhone

The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obana has recently tapped into recent Internet age technologies as a means to get the word out and rally supporters around his bid for the presidency. They have released free software for Apple's iPhone that allows for supporters to be kept up to date on the latest developments in the campaign.

According to the campaign: "Obama '08: The Official iPhone Application," which is available at Apple's online App Store on Friday, gives users "the tools you need to make an impact and stay in the know."

This App is also available on the iPod touch, and contains information about Obama's positions on issues, news from the race, and photos and video clips from the campaign trail. A notable feature is the ability for the iPhone to use GPS to scan areas for near by Obama campaign offices and volunteer centers. It also features a green button marked "Donate" for campaign contributions.

It has been shown that the Obama campaign has generally been more focused on using the power of the Internet and modern technology to get out the word, raise funds, and get people registered than the McCain campaign.

-Patrick Strapazon

CLICK HERE for original article.