Digital Nation

I recently watched a video called, "Digital Nation" in my computers class, which talked a lot about our world today and how technological people, especially children, have become. What I found to be most relateable was the realization on how much time we really do spend with out digital devices.

Though I feel I am one of the few who do not have a facebook account, I still find myself throughout the day checking my email, constantly receiving and sending out text messages, or looking up things on line. Stepping back and taking a clear look at things, it seems that our communcation as a whole has "dumbed down" a bit. We like things quick and short which is why I feel most people don't even bother calling anymore but prefer texting. And even with texting, it's all abbreviations now. We communicate online through twitter or facebook or whatever new site is out there. There was a scene in this video where the producer found herself at home with every member of her family doing something on a digital device at the same time. No conversations and as she described, "we were all in the same room but in different worlds". I'd be lying if I didn't say I have found myself and family in similar situations. While I enjoy and do appreciate the "digital world", I dont ever want to put myself in a position of neglecting my family or thinking that a simple phone call is too time consuming.

Triumph of the Nerds Part 3

I had heard of Steve Jobs but didn't really know much about him, until this video. He seemed to me, a man of incredible creativity and always striving for better. A lot of his engineers thought him to be "intense and a tyrant" but also someone who "pushed them to think outside the box". When I think of how popular Apple is today, it's strange to think that it was near bankruptcy at one point and that Jobs was let go because his MacIntosh did not earn the profit they were expecting. This video which was filmed in 1996, ends with saying that Apple was basically a dying company so it's pretty neat knowing now in the future, the turn around in his success.

Today, a vast majority of the world uses apple in one way or another through iphone, ipad, itunes, ipod, macbook etc. It has become so widely sought after that whenever a new version comes out, people are literally waiting at the doors to buy the latest and greatest. What I liked about this last portion of the video and knowing where Apple really ended up, is that it reminds us to never give up on our ambitions, no matter how hard the road may seem. It's really easy to see barriers and roadblocks, but that could just mean that maybe it isn't the right time.

My goal is to one day become a nurse and right now I'm taking one class at a time, which may seem easy but trying to balance this out with work and family can be difficult. It would be easy to throw in the towel but then I would never get to where I want and likely regret it. Just like Steve Jobs, if he called it quits when he reached rock bottom he would never have become as successful as he did and with that we may not have all the cool technology and applications that we use today.

Human Computer Interfaces

I had never heard the name Kevin Warwick until this short video. It is surprising, considering all the new and interestingly bizarre advances he has made and is making with humans and technology. Often using himself as the guinea pig in his experiments, I believe Warwick can give an honest report first hand his findings and progress.

What I found most interesting among his research was the deep brain stimulation in relation to Parkinson's Disease; implant positioning in the brain. Warwick and his team are using artificial intelligence to make current technology  "smart"so that it can predict an oncoming tremor and stop it before its starts, as well as, send stimulation only when needed. I believe the accuracy of his research can save people and insurance companies a lot of money and resources. It would obviously improve peoples lives who live with Parkinson's through basic things such as walking, coordination and movement.

Though I find his research with implants interesting, I also find it a bit scary. The idea of a robot, which is essentially constructed metal, thinking for itself, is so unnatural. It reminds me of movies such as Terminator or I Robot where the robots, given a mind of their own, turned and attempted to take over the world. Maybe this example is a bit extreme, but I think some things are better left the way the are. With that said, I'm hesitant to try any of it myself, although maybe with the exception of a medical purpose.

Triumph of the Nerds: Part 2

In concluding this video, I was surprised to see how IBM literally went down.  In all honesty, I really didn't have much knowledge about the computer industry to begin with. I had heard of Bill Gates but didn't really know or understand in detail how he became one of the top wealthiest men in the world. What I found most interesting in this last piece of the video was the process of reverse engineering, which is essentially taking something like hardware or software that already works, breaking it down, and re-creating it in a way that is better from it's original status. It's through this process that allowed other upcoming companies such as Compaq to benefit from IBM's profit and made them a huge competitor. 

I found this to be interesting because it seemed so effortless. Compaq did just that and sold their PC's at a lower cost.  Not to mention that the pieces used to build these more compact PC's were being sold off the shelves for anyone to buy! It would seem to me that IBM didn't do a very good job of protecting themselves. Anyone could re-create what they founded. It was the software, however, through Microsoft, that in my opinion set them apart from the rest. But because of differing views and maybe even a bit of pride, IBM chose not to join Bill Gates and Microsoft in their launch of Windows-a multibillion dollar mistake. You honestly can't help but feel bad for IBM, knowing of the huge company they once were and where they are today. 

Reviewing a Social Network

A social network that I have been apart of and really enjoy is Pintrest. I joined last year mainly because I took up sewing and heard that Pintrest had a lot of really good "Do it yourself" types of crafts. To get better acquainted, I created multiple categorized boards of things of interest such as photography, to DIY, to food, fashion, kids, travel, parties and more. In creating these boards with "pins of interest" others and friends are able to view them and vise versa.

Being that one of my main interests was the DIY section, I was able to link to other websites and peoples blogs who show step by step on how to make a skirt, for example, or baby clothes.  You get a lot of really good ideas with things like making your own gifts for friends/family and themes for baby or bridal showers. Not to mention, I've also retrieved some really good dessert recipes! These are just a few things of my interest. In all honesty I believe that Pintrest is a female dominated website because it has more of womens interest with age ranging from teenager to elderly but mostly women who seem to be between the ages of 20's to early 40's. Women, in general, love sharing ideas and seeing what their friends are doing so I don't believe that this website is a waste of time. I think it can improve a person's life who may not be so "creative" and help them to get inspiration. In my opinion, Pintrest is a clever and unique way of expressing one's personality and sharing it with the world in a safe way!

Triumph of the Nerds: Impressing their friends (Part 1)

As I sit here typing away on my laptop, I would never have given a thought to the progression of the computer if it were not for this documentary. What I found most interesting was a piece of hardware called the Altair. It basically composed of switches and lights that would take forever to program. It was Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, founders of Apple, who found a purpose for the Altair and ended up developing personal computers for people to use.

Why I found this interesting is because it just goes to show that anyone is capable of doing amazing things. These guys were in their early twenties when this all happened and because of it, they ended up becoming billionaires and changing our world in the process. The funny thing is is that they weren't necessarily trying to become famous. They were just continuing to do what they loved; experimenting and trying to impress their friends.

CES 2013 Review

When it comes to electronics I am fascinated at how things seem to come more equipped than the year before.  The Consumer Electronics Show was held recently in Las Vegas where they revieled their latest and greatest. One in particular, was an article I read titled, "Next-gen chevy Mylink employs smartphone flexibility". The Chevy Impala 2014 comes equipped with navigation, bluetooth and works like a smartphone; able to rearrange icons and applications, save phone numbers and playlists all right at your fingertips. 

As a consumer, I like things that are simple, reliable and safe. Being able to move some icons around really does not sway a decision for me. The Bluetooth hands-free calling system, however, does. The convenience and safety of commanding your car to make a call while you continue to focus on driving is something that should come in every vehicle. It is a feature that would save a lot of people from getting cell phone tickets, in my opinion, and one that would likely save lives keeping focus on the road, especially in today's world. On the flip side, all those applications and icons can also pose as a distraction for the careless person wanting to organize or "move" icons around while driving. 

I think the navigation system is also of notable mention directing step by step on how to get to one's destination, helpful to those driving out of town and are not familiar with the roads, locally and wanting the nearest starbucks (which is staked out on most corners) or simply wanting to know estimated time of travel. 

Electronics today are getting faster, smoother, cooler, smaller and thinner all for the convenience of the consumer. The funny thing though is not too far from now these new products will be updated to even more than its current status . It is a world that I think more people are becoming familiar with and adapting to. What once seemed so futuristic is now present.