Week Four

A demonstration day at Kaiser Permanente offers a look at robotic legs for those who can't walk, arms for those who can't lift, and forceps for surgeons who can't be in the operating room. Since 9/11 and the US going to war thousands of military men and women are coming home with missing limbs. In the past several years the technology of robotics has boomed in order to help those who served our country. Men and women who couldn't walk and now walk with the help of robotic legs. They are also being designed to help support our surging population of elderly and persons with disabilities.  The rise of helpful machines are assisting individuals to become more independent in their daily living. 

 

PerMMA is the only wheelchair with robotic arms, this wheelchair was created at the University of Pittsburgh.  Today, 4.3 million Americans rely on wheelchairs with few chairs being ideal for people with physical impairments, such as limited mobility.  Users can control the robotic arms from a touch pad, microphone, or joystick. For now, each arm can support six pounds, but soon a new arm will be created to support up to 150 pounds.  Expect to see this robotic wheelchair on the job by 2020.

RIBA, is a forklift for humans. It was created at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Japan.  This robot helps individuals who are too weak to walk, sit, or stand on their own.  RIBA, Robot for Interactive Body Assistance, is the only robot with arms designed to carry those people around.  The robot can also recognize faces and voices and respond to commands, such as “RIBA, please help me off the couch.”  The RIBA should expect to be seen on the job sometime next year.

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Second Life

Second Life is an online virtual world imagined and created by its Residents (other users) . It really is a second life that you can live. You can sleep, walk, fly chat, go shopping, go to a bar, meet new people, join a club, go to work, anything you can imagine you can do it.   

You enter a world with infinite possibilities and live a life without boundaries, guided only by your imagination. Do what you love, with the people you love, from anywhere in the world. You will be able to explore places inspired by real cities, like Tokyo.  Immerse yourself in any environment you can imagine: watch the sunset from a mountaintop, dance the night away in a club or plumb the depths of the ocean on a scuba trip.  

Travel by foot, by flying, or else jump in a car, tank, plane or magic carpet. With infinite possibilities come limitless modes of transportation - why not drive a fancy car or sail a pirate ship? Or just spread your arms and take to the sky. 

Tired of the same old cloths you wear? How about the small house you live in, or your broken down car? Not here on Second life! You will have infinite outfits to choose from and hundreds of different cars to drive. And if you want to design and live in your own mansion, you can!

Prepare to socialize like never before. Millions of Residents (other users) from around the world have made Second Life their online home, so there is no lack of people to meet or old friends to reconnect with. 
 

I downloaded Second Life to see what it was really all about. I created my character. I picked out her hair color, length and how I wanted to done. Then I was able to change her makeup and skin color and pick out what clothes, earrings, socks and shoes I wanted her to wear. After my character was complete it took me through a tutorial  were I learned how to walk, run, sit and fly and I also chatted with some other new users and added them to my friend list. After I got the hang of "my new body" I traveled to different lands and meet other Residents. I flew over the water and was able to walk around in a castle. I think I spent a total of 30 minutes in Second Life and it was all I needed. Second Life reminded me a lot of World of War Craft (which I can't stand). I have to much to do in my real life, that I can't imagine living a second life. I guess if you had A LOT of free time and enjoyed spending endless hours on the computer and hated living in the REAL world, then Second Life would be a good fit for you! 

Explore Second Life for yourself!

Week Three

Though MySpace has the taint of a spectacular loser, the fact remains that the site is still the second-most-popular social network. News Corp. may not want much to do with it anymore -- rumors of a possible sale are in the air -- but some other company might find a way to parlay MySpace's strength as a social entertainment network into profitability.

MySpace CEO Mike Jones reportedly told employees on Wednesday that News Corp. , parent company of the once-giant social network, was exploring strategic options for its possible spinout, sale or merger. The talk of a possible sale followed news that MySpace was laying off 47 percent of its workforce -- about 500 employees.

My Space did not respond to the E-Commerce Times' request for comments by press time.

Rumors about the troubled company have been circulating for some time. Last fall, MySpace released a new layout, part of a new plan to focus on music pages and entertainment while leaving social networking to the big dog, Facebook. 

 

MySpace continues to get significant traffic, though nothing like in its glory days.

"They're still the second largest social network in the world," said Gallucci. "They still tend to be one of the go-to places for new bands and entertainment. They're still getting 25 millions hits a month."

MySpace may be a nifty property for the right buyer -- even if it does look tattered.

"It's a nice opportunity for somebody else," said Gallucci. "CBS has been buying Internet sites. Maybe they would be interested. I don't think it would make sense for Microsoft  or Google." 

MySpace 

Facebook  

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Week Two

Best Buy today launched a buy-back program designed to quash the fear of technology obsolescence. In the process, tech buyers can find a way to repurpose or recycle their electronic gadgets.

When Best Buy customers purchase the service with their products, they can return their product and get paid for a fraction of its purchase price, depending on how long the consumer had it.

If it doesn't have any resale value, the PC, TV, or smartphone will be either stripped down for parts or recycled in the U.S., as part of Best Buy's existing programs, said George Sherman, the senior vice president of services at the company.

The cost of the buy-back program for laptops, Netbooks, or tablets is $69.99. For smartphones that cost less than $350, it's $39.99, and $59.99 for smartphones that cost more than $350, Sherman said. Best Buy could extend the program to game machines or other electronics, depending on consumer reaction. 

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Week One

Digital Textbooks

A Toronto District School Board Trustee discusses supplementing textbooks with digital content.

A Toronto School District is thinking about making to switch to digital textbooks. The school districts Superintendent say's that they will save about $50 millions every 10 years if they go digital. Right now the entire Toronto school district is on a book rotation and they rotate new books in every three years and it costs up to $20 million each time!

Pros and Cons for going digital


Pros: 

• More then half of the textbooks are out dated and if they went digital they would be able to have up to date, current information
• Save over $50 million over 10 years
• Students could access the digital textbooks from their cell phone, iPad, or computers
• Students wouldn't to carry around so much weight and put stress on their shoulders and back
• Some students can not take home textbooks because either the school has a  shortage or they can not afford them personally 

Cons:

• How do you gather all the kind of information and own the rights?
• How do you make it safe and secure for the instructors and students?
• Not everyone can afford a cell phone with internet, an iPad or computer. 
• Will all the money that the school would save, would they provide the students with those devices?

There is a lot to think about and I think they need to get with the authors and book companies and come up with a plan to make this work. I think it would be great. I mean everything else is just a click away why not our text books? And what about Google books? It can be done and I think it will be done soon!


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Introduction

Briefly describe why you are taking CIS 120 and anything in particular you would like to know more about related to computers.

 I am taking CIS 120 not only because it is a prerequisite, but I want to be able to use computer terminology, hardware and software basics, privacy and security to their full potential and to work for my advantage.