I decided I am doing my Neovox article on the Apple iPhone. Don't ask me what I am going to talk about yet because I don't know. I need to come up with some sort of interesting way to present the information I found because I don't want to sound like a consumer reports article. I could play devil's advocate and try to argue that the iPhone is going to flop, but you and I both know that would be a futile attempt. As much as Apple makes me feel uncomfortable, after watching Steve Jobs' presentation of the phone I was sold. Now I just need $599 and Cingular service, which by the way I am not giving up Verizon, so I guess I'll just have to play with one of my cool friend's iPhone. I may try to talk about which features of the phone will set it apart from anything else that is on the market, because believe me, there are enough of them. I won't really know until tonight when I write it.
Surprise, Surprise.
Monday, February 26, 2007
"So... does that mean you were raised by wolves?"
Actually it's Wolff's, and yes, I was. This is just one of the many bad jokes the circulated at Raquette lake, but nevertheless I had a great time. I always do. The atmosphere was different on this, my third trip. For once I was not the only girl (or one of two), and there was quite a large group; and an interesting mix of personalities, to say the least. I would recommend going at least once during your time here at Cortland if you ever have the opportunity.
While at Raquette I observed in interesting phenomena. There are laptops in the class room and being typical college students, we all gravitated toward them because God forbid we go a few days without getting on AIM or checking Facebook. Saturday night we were all pretty tired and most of the group went off to bed, but about 8 of us 'die hard Internet junkies' stayed in the class room, and what did we do? (We said we wouldn't talk about it because it is too embarrassing, but I need a topic for a post so I am going to spill the beans.) We all went into an AIM chat room and talked to each other. All that could be heard in the room was typing and the occasional giggle. If one of us said something out loud to another it was like the most taboo thing we could possibly do. We all kept saying how pathetic we were but I realized something. If we had all tried to talk out loud there would be no way that could all speak simultaneously without mass confusion. In the chat room you just needed to be able to quickly read what each person said, and then respond. The topics changed with the blink of an eye and you could be a part of the main conversation as well as side conversations at the same time. We stayed up until 2:30 . . . and I guarantee if we had been speaking out loud we would not have stayed up that late.
I think that Saturday night just proves how technology is REALLY changing the way we communicate. Are we starting to prefer the Internet over a verbal conversation? WHY? People say things on the Internet that they wouldn't say verbally to someone's face. And this seems to be true even if the person is STILL in the same room. Craziness.
Anyway, I promise I really do have a life and uh, this sort of thing will surely never happen again. One time thing . . . I hope.
While at Raquette I observed in interesting phenomena. There are laptops in the class room and being typical college students, we all gravitated toward them because God forbid we go a few days without getting on AIM or checking Facebook. Saturday night we were all pretty tired and most of the group went off to bed, but about 8 of us 'die hard Internet junkies' stayed in the class room, and what did we do? (We said we wouldn't talk about it because it is too embarrassing, but I need a topic for a post so I am going to spill the beans.) We all went into an AIM chat room and talked to each other. All that could be heard in the room was typing and the occasional giggle. If one of us said something out loud to another it was like the most taboo thing we could possibly do. We all kept saying how pathetic we were but I realized something. If we had all tried to talk out loud there would be no way that could all speak simultaneously without mass confusion. In the chat room you just needed to be able to quickly read what each person said, and then respond. The topics changed with the blink of an eye and you could be a part of the main conversation as well as side conversations at the same time. We stayed up until 2:30 . . . and I guarantee if we had been speaking out loud we would not have stayed up that late.
I think that Saturday night just proves how technology is REALLY changing the way we communicate. Are we starting to prefer the Internet over a verbal conversation? WHY? People say things on the Internet that they wouldn't say verbally to someone's face. And this seems to be true even if the person is STILL in the same room. Craziness.
Anyway, I promise I really do have a life and uh, this sort of thing will surely never happen again. One time thing . . . I hope.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Neovox and Snow Crash
Neovox
It is my instinct to write about what I know, but you can never learn anything new if you go through life that way. I really wanted to write an article about Facebook and how one can become dependent upon it. But, I've looked through every one's blogs and that seems to be quite popular so I think I'm going to brain storm some more and try to come up with something that I may not be as "comfortable" with. I'll post more about it when I have a better idea.
Snow Crash
During the first couple chapters I've struggled through weird words, alternate universes, and the urge to give into my narcolepsy. I don't think that the book is boring at all, it's just that whenever I try to read I fall asleep, even when I'm not tired! I don't understand it! I think sitting at the computer all day tires me out so by the time I go to read my eyes have had it. Anyway I'm not usually interested in science fiction, but I think this course is making me pay more attention to it and ask myself questions as I read. I'm not the most technologically savvy person, but I feel like this class is going to give me an edge that a lot of college students don't have. Maybe by the end of Snow Crash I will find myself wanting to know more about what the future holds.
It is my instinct to write about what I know, but you can never learn anything new if you go through life that way. I really wanted to write an article about Facebook and how one can become dependent upon it. But, I've looked through every one's blogs and that seems to be quite popular so I think I'm going to brain storm some more and try to come up with something that I may not be as "comfortable" with. I'll post more about it when I have a better idea.
Snow Crash
During the first couple chapters I've struggled through weird words, alternate universes, and the urge to give into my narcolepsy. I don't think that the book is boring at all, it's just that whenever I try to read I fall asleep, even when I'm not tired! I don't understand it! I think sitting at the computer all day tires me out so by the time I go to read my eyes have had it. Anyway I'm not usually interested in science fiction, but I think this course is making me pay more attention to it and ask myself questions as I read. I'm not the most technologically savvy person, but I feel like this class is going to give me an edge that a lot of college students don't have. Maybe by the end of Snow Crash I will find myself wanting to know more about what the future holds.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Podcasting
Well, I did my first podcast and it was an adventure. I was originally going to present with Phil and Joe, but I ended up in the hospital so that didn't work out as planned. I finally did it last night after downloading Audacity to my computer. I think for my next podcast I will make sure I have a group, and I would also like to use Garageband because I want to add effects into the podcast and make it more creative. My podcast was straightforward, I didn't do anything fancy; I just tried to make it a solid performance. Luckily I only had to record once and I didn't make too many mistakes. If I could change anything about my experience I probably would have incorporated more humor or some kind of interesting elements to make it less dry. I think my podcast was a success and I'm looking forward to experimenting more with the next one.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Catching Up
I have been under the weather the past several days and I'm just now starting to feel well enough to get back into blogging and such. Last Tuesday (before my illness incapacitated me) I was sitting in a class which I will leave anonymous, sitting next to a student whom I will leave anonymous. Any other day I probably wouldn't have been bothered by the actions of this person next to me, but because of Smart Mobs I am cursed and I will never look at the world in the same light again.
You see I'm a very serious student; I'm always into the notes and trying to pay attention, unless of course I am sick and feeling extra distracted like I was Tuesday. Well I was trying to pay attention in this 200 person lecture but I can't help but become absorbed in the girl next to me. Hood up- head phones on- cell in lap, and not a notebook to be seen. This girl was listening to music and playing solitaire on her ipod while texting and tinkering with her Motokrazer cellphone. I was impressed by how many things she was doing at once but I was annoyed at the facts. A. This technological absorption wouldn't have piqued my interest had it not been for Smart Mobs. And B. The noises coming from her, be it the vibrating, clicking ipod, or loud bass were really ticking me off.
So there I am thinking wow maybe I am actually learning something from that stupid book! Technology is taking over and it is going to change the way we learn because people aren't interested in listening to lectures in class or taking notes. They probably rather enjoy education presented through different media like pod casts for example. If this is what we are moving toward then the classroom as we know it will change. In the future will there be a need for a professor and a class to meet in one room? How many more online courses will be available in the next ten years?
Believe it or not I was really trying to analyze the situation and get something out of it. But alas, I was still annoyed because this girl was being extremely rude. We don't have technologically teeming class rooms yet so keep your phone off and your ipod away, get out your notebook and at least pretend to care about the money your parents are spending, or maybe your future anyway.
*Long story short: technology is good when used correctly, but there is a right place and a right time so be courteous and remember the world doesn't revolve around you and the person your texting...yet.
You see I'm a very serious student; I'm always into the notes and trying to pay attention, unless of course I am sick and feeling extra distracted like I was Tuesday. Well I was trying to pay attention in this 200 person lecture but I can't help but become absorbed in the girl next to me. Hood up- head phones on- cell in lap, and not a notebook to be seen. This girl was listening to music and playing solitaire on her ipod while texting and tinkering with her Motokrazer cellphone. I was impressed by how many things she was doing at once but I was annoyed at the facts. A. This technological absorption wouldn't have piqued my interest had it not been for Smart Mobs. And B. The noises coming from her, be it the vibrating, clicking ipod, or loud bass were really ticking me off.
So there I am thinking wow maybe I am actually learning something from that stupid book! Technology is taking over and it is going to change the way we learn because people aren't interested in listening to lectures in class or taking notes. They probably rather enjoy education presented through different media like pod casts for example. If this is what we are moving toward then the classroom as we know it will change. In the future will there be a need for a professor and a class to meet in one room? How many more online courses will be available in the next ten years?
Believe it or not I was really trying to analyze the situation and get something out of it. But alas, I was still annoyed because this girl was being extremely rude. We don't have technologically teeming class rooms yet so keep your phone off and your ipod away, get out your notebook and at least pretend to care about the money your parents are spending, or maybe your future anyway.
*Long story short: technology is good when used correctly, but there is a right place and a right time so be courteous and remember the world doesn't revolve around you and the person your texting...yet.
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Not Feeling So Well?
In chapter one of Smart Mobs there is a short blurb about the possibility that in the near future we will begin to see repetitive injuries occurring in young adults. The more we rely on technology involving looking at screens, typing, or sitting for long periods of time, there more noticeable RSI (repetitive strain injury) trends will be. It seems that people who take up careers working with computers (and the like) will be forced to retire at younger ages because their bodies can no longer handle the pain they suffer from. In the near future will there will be a need for new technology that relieves typing strain?
I've always been curious about computer programs that type as you speak into a microphone. Of course, these programs are not suitable for some workplaces that are intended to be quiet. I've also heard that you need to speak v-e-r-y c-l-e-a-r-l-y which can take more time than it's worth. We need to come up with alternative ways to get our thoughts onto the computer. Maybe in the future implanted microchips will somehow read our thoughts and transmit them onto a screen. Scary, but cool.
Besides RSI there are a few other injuries associated with frequent computer users including: back problems, neck pain, and eye strain and discomfort. I'm sure all users have felt these symptoms from time to time and they are usually a sign that you need a short break. Whenever I visit my eye doctor I mention that my eyes are always very dry and when I wear my contacts I become fatigued. The first question the doctor asks is if I use the computer frequently. "Of course" I tell him. The doctor's response is,"Well your eyes are probably dry because when you use the computer you blink ?% less than you do normally. You should try to be conscious of how much you are blinking, and try taking frequent breaks. " I've also suffered from some of the other ailments such as back, neck, and wrist pain, depending on how long I've been typing for; over time these pains can become chronic.
As a society we should be conscious of the physical impact that computing can have on our bodies. The technological world is constantly changing and adapting; soon we will need to react to the increase of computer related chronic injuries. Whether this means eliminating the key board all together, or changing the design of computers, one thing is uncertain; the need for new innovation is here and we should be ready to embrace it.
I've always been curious about computer programs that type as you speak into a microphone. Of course, these programs are not suitable for some workplaces that are intended to be quiet. I've also heard that you need to speak v-e-r-y c-l-e-a-r-l-y which can take more time than it's worth. We need to come up with alternative ways to get our thoughts onto the computer. Maybe in the future implanted microchips will somehow read our thoughts and transmit them onto a screen. Scary, but cool.
Besides RSI there are a few other injuries associated with frequent computer users including: back problems, neck pain, and eye strain and discomfort. I'm sure all users have felt these symptoms from time to time and they are usually a sign that you need a short break. Whenever I visit my eye doctor I mention that my eyes are always very dry and when I wear my contacts I become fatigued. The first question the doctor asks is if I use the computer frequently. "Of course" I tell him. The doctor's response is,"Well your eyes are probably dry because when you use the computer you blink ?% less than you do normally. You should try to be conscious of how much you are blinking, and try taking frequent breaks. " I've also suffered from some of the other ailments such as back, neck, and wrist pain, depending on how long I've been typing for; over time these pains can become chronic.
As a society we should be conscious of the physical impact that computing can have on our bodies. The technological world is constantly changing and adapting; soon we will need to react to the increase of computer related chronic injuries. Whether this means eliminating the key board all together, or changing the design of computers, one thing is uncertain; the need for new innovation is here and we should be ready to embrace it.
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