Week2-Li

I woud like to talk about use iPod to learn English and other courses. As everyone knows that ipod is related to the itunes, and itunes is related to ItunesU. There are many resource of courses in itunesU. especially for the Chinese students like me, need the classes with Chinese subtitle under it. There are many classes resources with subtitles in itunes to help international students learn English classes.


On the other hand is Podcast. I always use Podcast to listen Tedtalks. There are also many ebooks in podcast are free. Some of them can be read for you. You can download them to your touch, classic and iphone, then you can listen them, listen is a nice way to memories, it would help a lot for you learn English or a new language.


As you know how to download them, you can choose them on itunesU as you like. Make full use of your ipod, it can do many thing not only for listen music.


http://www.xuying.org/2012/01/ipod-english-learning.html

http://gigaom.com/apple/itunes-u-learning-wherever-you-are/

Week 2- Oubaid

My article is about a young boy from Lee Summit, Mo who died from testicular cancer. After his death his mother was inspired to make people aware about the disease by writing a book called "Together We Will Win: A Young Man's Story." The article tells us that there will be poetry inspired performances at THS where people can purchase tickets to help raise money for cancer charities. This story really caught my attention because so many people die from cancer and illnesses a year just because they couldn't afford treatment. I'm so blessed to have never lost a family member to cancer but I think it's so important to have cancer fundraisers and I'm really glad that things like that are taking place here. The article relates to mass media because his mother's story is helping spread the knowledge about cancer and the struggles in a way that makes it relatable to the public. Not to mention the poetry production is a multimedia experience because of the art, poetry, and performances. I hope some of you get an opportunity to check it out or just read the article. Hopefully it touches you like it did me.


http://cjonline.com/news/2012-01-26/video-ths-fights-cancer-poetry-prose

Week2-Hu

In the past month, Kodak, the name behind many photographic moments in our lives, succumbed to bankruptcy. Photography is still very much alive, but Kodak has been in trouble. Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 19th. Not surprisingly, their stock dropped 35%. But really, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Currently, digital camera has been the mainstream of photography. Kodak, which is famous for film-based camera, cannot follow the fashion and fail to be alive in the modern camera competition.  In my opinion, Kodak’s failure is due to its anti-development. When almost every company is developing its digital technology, Kodak is still use lots of money to renew its roll film and film-based camera technology. As a creation, it put plenty of efforts to develop the one-time film-based camera. Even in 2004, Kodak invested 40 million to start a one-time film-based camera factory in Xiamen, China. Because the decisions of Kodak cannot follow the fashion and are always out of date, Kodak loses most customers and is in trouble now.

In the old days, photography is a professional thing. At that time, most of us had no chance to try it by ourselves. Kodak helped camera popular and helped us to buy our own cameras. But now, it fails to develop and head toward bankruptcy. Kodak’s story tells us that we must keep trying new technology and follow the fashion, or you will fail. Even you are Kodak.


Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-13/kodak-said-to-hold-talks-with-citigroup-on-bankruptcy-financing.html

Week 2_Wagers

So, apparently this year’s super bowl commercials are going to be more raunchy, racier, and sexier than ever. Big shot companies like GoDaddy.com, Doritos, and H&M are going to air, let’s just say not PG and even PG13 appropriate material during half time. As we all should know, the big advertising companies try to appeal to a certain audience, in this case, because it is football, one would think it is mostly men who watch the super bowl, or as I like to call it, “the super bore.” And what appeals to most men? SEX!!!

However, a study done at the University of Wisconsin shows that “spots with sexual imagery take 10 percent hit in ‘likability’ versus ads without racy images.” Researchers in this study also found that “most views actually prefer to see ads with kids or animals.”

Usually, at least in my experience, watching the super bowl is a family event; it is not just men who watch the super bowl. It is a time for families to get together and watch people throw a funny looking ball around, slapping each other butts, and kicking this ball between two yellow poles, and eating junk food all day, and yelling at the television. These men are not going to want to see a half naked woman with their mom/wife/5year old sitting beside them. I am so not surprised that these commercials are seeing a drop in their likability.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Sexy+Super+Bowl+racier/6052195/story.html

Week 2 Southall

Microsoft is bringing its Xbox Kinect technology to laptops.  Two notebook prototypes were debuted to the public, as highlighted in a recent Wired.com article.  Microsoft previously indicated that desktop PC’s will be available with Kinect sensors this year.  

The Netbooks have Kinect sensors instead of web cameras at the top of the monitor. Having sensors on portable devices would open an entire new market of software. This would be yet another way to experience your games and Apps. This of course means big money for those who can get it on the market first.

It’s obvious this technology will be fun, I can’t help but think about its usefulness. For most of us this technology would be a perk not a necessity. It could be an asset to those who have trouble using current forms of media. I know many children with developmental issues that could benefit. In many cases it’s hard for them to coordinate a mouse or controller with a screen. The combination of hand eye coordination and the muscles needed to direct a controller often prove to be frustrating. Kinect technology removes half the barriers making it easier to use the new media’s.

Week 2- O'Neill

We all remember the days when our mom's and dad's would send us off to school with a backpack full of books for the busy school day ahead, but that could all change very soon.  Apple has recently announced that interactive iTextBooks are available for download on iPads.

Digital books are slowly gaining popularity in the academic world mainly because many of them are increasingly interactive.   The student can watch videos that relate to they're reading, take notes on the iPad, highlight material and engage in interactive chats that help students better understand the material. Companies that provide these digital books also add a huge social media piece to it, where teachers can communicate with their students. Students can communicate with other students, and the user can choose who they want to follow like a twitter account where you can pick which students you want to follow and follow their notes. But as learning is the ultimate purpose, the question still remains: Will kids really learn more and better on tablets than existing media?

It’s not that we shouldn’t use computers in classrooms. Technology is a movement that is ever progressing, but it’s not only the technology that is important, it’s everything else around it. If you have a place with bad teachers and poor instruction, it’s a great way for both teachers and students to waste time. Between the two, having good teachers is much more important than having digital media. The transition from regular textbooks to digital textbooks on tablets may be inevitable, but research has consistently shown that  good teaching skills and teaching ability effectively conducted to students can overcome socioeconomic background. Children need guidance and feedback. They’re not going to get that from electronic books alone. So until experiments and studies  determine how tablets best enable learning, I don't think schools don’t need to rush. 

Read more at: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/01/ipad-textbooks-learning/

Week 2 Lawson

I have recently found news about a new xbox system in the works to be released in fall 2013. It is said that the xb0x 720 (new xb0x) is supposed to have out of this world graphics up to 6 times better than the xbox 360 and 20 percent more power than the wii U which is close to release. There is also supposed to be a new kinect system which I believe is going to have a hard time beating out the first one due to a great response from the people. Xbox 720 is said to have new controller which will be smaller. I see no need for a controller knowing that everybody with an xbox is used to the won we've used for years. One rumor that comes with the xbox 720 is it may be produced with an anti used game system which I think would piss off multiple people including myself. This means that nobody could share or buy cheap used games anymore. Every game would be new and there would no longer be a time when your friend tells you to bring that game over so you can play. In other countries some game stores such as GameStop are closing and some wonder if it's because the recent articles about the anti game system. To end I would love to see a new xbox just like everybody esle but with this new anti game system I would put no thought into buying the new xbox 720, Tate.
http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/science-updates/xbox-720-release-may-compete-with-nintendo-wii-u