The End

Technology is a growing factor in society. As you can see technology is around us in every aspect of life. Some advancements may be obvious while others not so much. Technology effects all of your senses whether you realize it or not. By writing these blogs I have learned a lot about technology but about writing as well. Sometimes you need to write very formally because of the type of paper you are composing. But, for these blog entrys, I realize although you cannot lose the structure of writing you can write with a little less formality and some personal insight.

The Green Screen

The green screen is a green backdrop that is used to create movies where the backdrop that the movie creators want cannot be achieved by going on location. The scene is filmed in front of the green screen and then computers are used to place a backdrop as scenery of what they wanted in the film. It also helps create sizing effects. Green has become the favored color because digital cameras retain more detail in the green channel and it requires less light than blue. Green not only has a higher luminance value than blue but also in early digital formats the green channel was sampled twice as often as the blue, making it easier to work with. When you need an object or character to be either larger than life or smaller than a peanut, you film on a green screen. It’s crazy what a green screen can do to a movie.

Sirius Satellite Radio

Sirius Satellite Radio has its headquarters in New York City with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis. With most Sirius-enabled radios, the user can see the artist and song information on display while listening to the song. The songs are broadcast from three satellites in an orbit above North America. Sirius radio is a 24 hour service so you can hear non-stop music all the time. You can purchase a subscription to Sirius and can listen to the music on their website too. Sirius radio also allows you to program your favorite songs and every time they play on a station, the radio will alert you. Sirius Satellite Radio is a wonderful radio invention.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a new piece of technology that allows us to talk on cell phones without having the actual phone to our ear. This is very helpful because of the law passed that you are not allowed to use a hand held cell phone while driving. Bluetooth hooks onto your ear and allows you to have full conversations without your cell phone being in your hand. Not only is Bluetooth used for cell phones, it is also used in printers, modems and headsets. This makes using services easier because there is no longer a need to setup network addresses or permissions as in many other networks. Blue tooth has had many different versions to upgrade the device to make it work efficiently and for this I do not feel it is a waste to keep upgrading. Unlike apple, the upgrades are actually to improve the product. The apple upgrades are really to make a product seem more appealing.

Plasma Screen Televisions

So there are these things called plasma screen televisions and they are fabulous. These televisions have crisp pictures and revolutionized the way to watch T.V. They are terribly expensive but probably worth it in the end. I do not own one because I am a broke college student, but many people I know own them and really are nice. The prices are ridiculous though, $500 will get you the smallest screen which is the size of a spiral notebook. Are those worth it? I think not. But, when you have the thousands of dollars necessary to get a decent size screen its beautiful.

iTouch

Well, Apple did it again. iPod has another new style. Have you noticed that the iPod is the same thing in different shapes sizes and colors? There are a few different aspects that make each iPod different from the next. How many songs one can hold or the amount of videos you can watch differentiate the price of the iPod. This new version is known as the iTouch. The iTouch is pretty much the iPhone without the cell phone service. You can flip through your songs like a jukebox, you have internet on it, you can store pictures, download songs, as well as watch videos. It seems to me there is a pattern. Every new product they put out happens to have every feature the old one did plus one or two more things. Wouldn’t you be so aggravated if you bought the brand new iPod only to find maybe a month later there is a new and improved one?

iPod

The iPod is an invention that swept the nation. This invention is an MP3 player but so much more. You can play movies and television shows on it and you can store pictures on it also. But seriously, what’s the point? Why pay over $200 to listen to music in your ears? The stereo is still a functioning device that comes in handy all the time. You can listen to it at home or even in the car. Want to listen to a specific song? That’s what CDs are for. We have illegal downloading sites so you can download the specific song you want and burn it onto a CD. For this process all you need to do is buy blanks CDs, which are not anywhere near $200. I do own an iPod, because it was a Christmas present. Had I not received one as a gift, I would not own one.

Laptops

One of the greatest ideas technology has come up with is the laptop. The laptop has made my life so much easier than any desktop computer did. Laptops allow you to do all of your work and chatting from anywhere you can get an internet connection. If you are lucky enough to have a wireless connection, you could do everything from the comfort of your bed. Unlike some people, I can type much faster and more efficiently than I write, so taking notes in class or writing essays is easier for me on the laptop. Saint John’s provided every student with their own personal laptop. This was good for me for taking notes in class. The problem with laptops in class, some professors believe, is students will surf the internet and sit online not paying attention to the lessons. Laptops are awesome machines that I could not imagine living without.

Video Games

Video games were created 20 years ago in 1947. Since then obviously they have improved. We now have an abundance of video game systems to amuse us and help pass the time. The most current systems are Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. These two systems have better graphics and more high tech games. The game on the tip of everyone’s tongue is Guitar Hero. This game has many different versions but the same concept behind it. Other games that people are anxious to play are Rock Band, Halo 3, Call of Duty Assassins Creed, Mass Effect, Madden, Bio Shock and Resistance Fall of Man. Now to me, these games are not appealing at all. I miss the good old days where Nintendo 64 was the hottest system and Mario Party was the game of choice. Now, the games are geared at killing people or things and shooting aimlessly. Many people believe video games are one of the reasons youth is involved in violence. Others believe there is absolutely no connection. I believe there is no connection. I think a video game is a video game and are made solely for entertainment. But I also think video games are taking away from youth getting out and exploring whatever part of the world they can. Many younger children are seen inside spending hours on these video games as opposed to going outside or doing homework or reading. To solve this problem, companies have created educational video games, but I do not believe that helps the situation. Children are still glued to the television set. In the end, video games are a technological advancement that has helped and harmed society.

Moving Sidewalks

Did you ever notice that the only location of moving sidewalks is at airports? The only location at least I’ve been to with sidewalks that transport you are in airports. Why not have those everywhere? This technological advancement truly could assist the population with going from point A to point B. For example, walking in a mall can be difficult for those with leg issues, but with moving sidewalks that dilemma is easily solved. Malls have several wings and floors for mass shopping at a time, but with a bad knee you can not reap those benefits. Escalators were invented to allow you to get from one floor to the next in minimal time; we should have the sidewalks to do the same. People would appreciate that. Some may argue that America will just become lazy and stop walking altogether, but I believe here in New York some people will be in such a rush that if they do not need to use the moving sidewalks for medical and health reasons, they will not use it at all. The aim of this technological benefit would be those with health issues that would like enjoy the leisure activities those with no health issues do.

When Will Cars Fly?

So we have all this technology advancing cell phones and computers, but when will it attack cars? They have created hybrid cars that people do not really use. Why not create the flying car. It was modeled years ago on the cartoon The Jetsons. The car does not necessarily need to be shaped that way but wouldn’t it be so much easier if cars flew? Think about it, pollution would be greatly reduced because the cars could run on a super cell battery and instead of gas stations there would be charging stations. The price would be expensive to charge your car, because if you do not charge it at home and need to be charged you’ll have no choice but to pay. This will be an economic benefit to the owner of the charging station. Traffic? What traffic? There is so much room in the sky that traffic would be obsolete. Roads would be safer for walking unless there is an air accident, and then pedestrians will be warned to run. Of course safety is a large concern so signs and traffic lights will need to be added to the skyway. If we have the technology to have cars flying we definitely have the technology to have signs and lights hovering. All in all our technology knowledge should be geared toward inventions that could change the future. We should add driving land cars to the history textbooks and let flying cars drive us into the future.

Sidekick

The sidekick is a phone provided by T-Mobile. This phone acts as a computer as well as a cell phone. I know what you’re thinking; every other phone does the same thing. But, this phone is quite different. With the Sidekick it is the size of a stapler and has a crazy flip screen that allows you to type on a QWERTY keyboard. The phone also acts as a camera and has a million and two buttons on it that make no sense unless you study the manual to the phone. There are four main buttons that have a random symbol on each button symbolizing a different function. What do they stand for? I wish I could tell you. But what I do know is if you press a button a drop down screen will pop up with several different options for you to choose from. For me, it’s luck of the draw if I chose the right button to find the function I need. Occasionally on the screen it will say press *insert symbol* to go back to main menu. This phone is the “hot phone” on Staten Island, after Nextels of course, but the phone keeps getting better and better. There seems to be a new edition of the Sidekick every time you blink. My roommate broke her sidekick but does not know when to get a new one because every time one comes out there’s another one advertised to come out the next month. If the phone is updated every other month is it really all that good of a phone? And why do you need all of these cool new features on a phone when there are other items around for a cheaper price. The Sidekick runs almost $300-$500. Why not buy a cell phone with unlimited texting for $150, a digital camera for $200 and not worry about upgrading every other day?

Touch Screens on Phones

Unlike touch screens for items like banking screens, computer screens, and navigation systems, touch screens on cell phones are obnoxious. Phones such as the Chocolate and the Helio are not efficient nor do they work well. To use one of those phones is almost impossible unless you sit and practice with it for hours. To dial a number you need to slide the phone open which leads you to the numbers which altogether is around 2 inches long. Then to send or clear something is not an actual button but a touch sensitive button. Those buttons are hit or miss. You either do exactly what you want or you end a call, clear all the numbers clear only 2 of the numbers, you really never know. Then when you try to scroll through your contacts list lets say, it’s a hassle because there is no arrow key to scroll with. In fact, there is no key at all. In order to scroll you have to use a centimeter long side scroll which is modeled after a computer screen. With acrylic nails like mine, it is physically impossible to complete that task. With no nails at all it is still is almost impossible. Why would you really spend so much money for technology that cannot function?

Touch Screen At Work

Technology has advanced to the point that touch screens are no longer only offered at a bank ATM. You can find touch screens on banks still, on cell phones, even on computers. I happen to be lucky enough to work at an establishment with touch screen computers. Being employed at After Hours Tuxedo in the mall is an awesome. The job itself is rather enjoyable which most people cannot say about their jobs. What makes the job even better is the touch screen system. The touch screen computer comes in very handy when you have to put in tuxedo measurements for large parties at a time. No customers want to wait for you to continuously click away at random screens. The touch screen feature allows easy access to every aspect of my job from clocking in to ringing a sale. But, of course, I have a problem with touch screen systems and work. That problem is acrylic nails. For some reason when tapping on the screen with an acrylic nail it will not register. That makes my job a little more difficult because I can touch the screen with my finger and work around the nail or I am forced to use the old school method of the computer mouse. It’s funny though, my navigation system has no problem registering the touch of the nails. I guess it’s just the type of touch screen system you have.

GPS Systems

GPS systems are amazing devices. It takes you anywhere you have to be, or so they say. Navigation systems work to the extent of getting you to major places and major roads, but small side streets your still on your own. I happen to be terrible with directions and tend to get lost going almost anywhere, especially New Jersey. Going to my dance competition had to be the worst experience with getting lost. I had to be at Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School for my competition which was approximately 45 minutes away. I missed the exit off the 287 and thinking I could get off at the next exit and just turn around was the wrong idea. I took that next exit and was lost for 2 1/2 hours. I traveled through almost 10 different townships and traveled through The Oranges and Newark before I could get remotely near home. After I told my mom about this experience she gave me an early Christmas present which was The TomTom, a well-known navigation system. That night my friend and I ventured to the hotel in Bridgewater with the navigation system. It got us there in less than 45 minutes and I was very excited. The next morning I tried to get to that middle school again, keyword tried. We did not have an exact address for the school so we typed in the cross streets because TomTom offers that feature as well. Here’s the big problem with that, the cross street was not listed in the navigation system. A place that I was supposed to get to now in less than 5 minutes took me a literal hour. All in all GPS systems are relatively helpful but still are not 100% efficient.

Just Google It (Part 2)

In Part 1 "JUST GOOGLE IT," I spoke about Google, the powerful search engine, and that was slowly taking over the world...starting with YouTube. Now you may be wondering how a search engine can take over the world. There are copyrights tagged onto everything created but somehow Google is working around all of those. Meet iGoogle the newest website created by the one and only search engine Google. "What is iGoogle?" you may ask. This is a new site that offers you a chance to create a personalized iGoogle page. This page gives you access to important Google news as well as news from all over the web. On this page you can view and keep track of your Google mail, headlines from the Google searches and other top news reports. You can also view stocks, the weather and show times for movies. But, that is not it! You can also view and organize the bookmarked websites you have added to your favorites from any computer. And last, but certainly not least, you have your own section with all the content you find from the web.This site was created way back in May 2005, but after being renamed and expanded in April 2007, iGoogle has become a big name site located not only in the United States but also in Australia, India, Canada, the U.K., Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Russia, Denmark, Sweden and Ireland.Let's get serious...what is the real point of it?? Does the internet allow you to do all of this anyway? Yes. Does this provide a brand new searching process? No. Is it really necessary? In my opinion no it is not. All this is going is combining the "i" from Apple with Google and creating a facade to those who use it. Take one second a think about what the site really does. You can see bookmarks, there’s a drop down menu on your screen allowing you to do the same thing. You can read your mail? You do that regardless of what site you are using and you can check movie times? Moviefone.com allows you to do the exact same thing. So what is the real purpose of iGoogle.com? To allow Google to receive more money and that is the bottom line.

Just Google It

What is Google? It is the online search engine that you can find almost anything you need to know. That is what everyone knows Google as. But what is not known about Google is it is sweeping the nation every second of the day. Four thousand to seven thousand people view the Google site a day and that is only a rough estimate! Google, as you may or may not know, is taking over the internet slowly but surely. Youtube is another website attacking the internet. This is the site that you can view virtually any video clip imaginable, whether it be from a movie, television show, commercial, or people just joking around. I’m pretty sure everyone knows these facts, but something you may not know is Google, the giant search engine, bought Youtube, the video sharing website for $1.65 billion. Youtube continues to remain Youtube, but the phenomenon website is growing rapidly with a huge search engine pushing it along.

Take A Picture

Digital cameras have been one of the most amazing pieces of technology around, until cell phones have been “stepping up” and challenging digital cameras for that title.
Samsung’s new i85 model is one camera to talk about. This 8-megapixel camera with its aluminum body and personal media player allows you to listen to music and watch videos as you capture those precious moments. To many peoples’ surprise, this camera has an L.C.D touch screen and can shoot MPEG-4 video clips. Another type of camera that tends to get overlooked by younger generations is the professional cameras. One top of the line camera in that category is the Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. This professional camera has an 18mm -20 mm lens (to those unfamiliar with the importance of that…it is very impressive.) This camera is exceptionally streamlined and has a comfortable shooting design. The Sony Alpha DSLR has a sensor shift image stabilizer, excellent photo quality and an overall fast performance. The only quirks with this camera are a few design problems and proprietary hot shoe. A top-of-the-line amateur digital SLR camera, the Sony DSLR-A700 is a perfect choice as a lens system. With all camera models aside, a picture is worth 1000 words.

The "Super Phone"

The apple iPhone swept the nation. This “super phone” seemed to be flawless. The phone did everything an iPod or mp3 player could do, a laptop could do, a digital camea could do, and a cell phone could do all in the palm of your hand. The iPhone is a touch screen phone… to make a call all you need to do is tap a name or a number in your address book, a favorite list, or a call log. Another new feature is when listening to voicemails you can pick which you would like to hear, as if you were reading emails. This phone legitimately does everything.
The iPhone had overwhelmingly positive feedback. But, at the same rate, there are several disadvantages to this phone. There is no flash or java on the phone, so watching web videos is closer to a miss than a hit. The camera part of the phone is slacking as well. The camera is a 2 mega pixel camera, but there now are 5 mega pixel camera phones available. Also certain kinds of flash and zoom are missing and there is no secondary camera for those who like to take “Myspace pictures” of them. Your MP3s that you may download to listen can only be for your listening pleasure. They cannot be set as your ring tones, only the ones on the phone to begin with can be set as your song. The only game that comes with the iPhone is chess. With all the amazing graphics and potential the phone has….chess is the only game that is equipped on the phone. AT&T is a very good phone company, but not when it comes to the iPhone, AT&T slacks with the internet service. The biggest problem I would believe occurred was with the iPhone, one in ten phones were defective. How do you sell defective iPhones after all the hype and how perfect this phone was going to be? Imagine if you paid $600 for the “super phone” only to find out yours is the defective one?

Technologic

Technology has been a blessing and a curse to society. It has made our way of life much easier…or so we believe. Personally, I have noticed how technology can be a true curse. One example everyone can relate to is the school laptops. The fact that we are given laptops to assist our learning experience both in and out of class is very helpful, or so I thought at first. The first issue I had with my laptop was the charger did not work. It was not compatible with my computer because they gave me last year’s computer charger. Was that an omen? I wasn’t sure. I went back to my apartment only to find that charger would not work either. Later I found out it was the outlet not the computer. Now my laptop works beautifully. Many people have been dealing with issues regarding their computers; luckily I am not one of them. Such problems include the screen breaking, the battery not holding a charge, and the major problem has been the laptops cannot connect to the internet. IT has been working diligently to fix these dilemmas, but they can only work so fast. I cannot decide if the laptops have been a blessing or a curse yet, hopefully the laptop does not let me down.

Why I Write

Writing can often be used as an aid. Many people can find comfort in writing as opposed to speaking. In the prompt, “Why I Write,” the narrator explains the reasons he chooses to write. In my opinion, the narrator seems to be writing to hide from reality and stay in the comfort zone of his writing. He uses the art of writing to explain him in a way he believes is easier than speech.
I use writing as a way to express myself as well. I write to clear my mind. I write to remember. I write to forget. I write to stay in touch with friends and family. I write to better my writing skills. I write to plan activities and events. I write to stay organized. I write because it eases my mind during stressful teenage days. I write knowing someone will read my work if asked. I write to ensure success. I write to make mistakes and to correct them as well. I write as a pastime. I write to keep me sane. I write to explain emotions when the words are unspeakable. I write out of boredom. I write so I do not expose my true feelings to the world. I write because I am lucky to have writing knowledge and skills. I write when I am inspired. I write to inform others of upcoming events. I write when it is convenient. I write whatever I would like with the safety of knowing I can be the only one to read it. I write to document the happy moments. I write to document the sad ones, too. I write for the sake of writing. I write because of ideas. I write in order to better myself. I write because I can.