19 new stories on The Next Web today |  |
- Why your next iPhone battery might last 30 days
- LinkedIn reportedly preparing to go public this year
- First look at Ridley Scott’s YouTube movie
- Microsoft brings touch to everyone with its new Touch Mouse
- Everything that Microsoft announced at CES in one handy list
- Bluetooth Jewelry, Now Just $120,000!
- Microsoft sold 8 million Kinects in 60 days
- Samsung Infuse 4G: New Android handset with 1.2GHz Processor & 8MP Cam
- Discover the entire world around you with Localscope. [FREE APP CODES]
- Microsoft Surface 2 is real and it looks amazing
- Guy Kawasaki promotes his latest book by giving away his first one
- Verizon’s first LTE phone? Motorola’s dual-core, 4.3-inch Droid Bionic.
- 10 iOS Gadgets at CES 2011
- Waiting for Tweetie for Mac 2.0? Your wait might be over tomorrow.
- CES 2011: Tons of tablets. Only one Xoom.
- Microsoft is bringing Windows 8 to ARM
- Android 3.0 Honeycomb gets a teaser video. Verdict? Amazing.
- RunKeeper adds heart rate monitoring, two-way sync and more in latest update
- How Technology Has Changed Education
- CES 2011: What’s new from Intel? Sandy Bridge looks stunning.
| Why your next iPhone battery might last 30 days Posted: 06 Jan 2011 02:54 AM PST
The reason why Apple is planning on using it in the inside, and for the battery, has everything to do with fuel cell development. A cool and science fiction style cell that would be able to power an iPhone for 30 days, without recharge. How cool would that be? Yeah, amazingly cool which is why a lot of companies are looking into it. So far however nobody has developed a fully working, and economically feasible, product. The current patent might change that, and if it does, it would be an amazing breakthrough. Or maybe Apple is just becoming a patent troll and has patented a small detail in the development of fuel cells to use in the negotiations once another company comes up with a working product. Always nice to be able to throw a patent on the table during negotiations. Either way, judge for yourself by reading the relatively short and official description of the patent:
Its all about collector plates baby. I don’t care as long as my iPhone 5 gets me through the month on a single charge next year. How long does your iPhone last on a single charge? I own the iPhone 4 and I’m perfectly happy with the 10+ hours I get these days… |
| LinkedIn reportedly preparing to go public this year Posted: 06 Jan 2011 02:40 AM PST
According to the report, LinkedIn has selected its financial underwriters for the process, although Reuters’ sources haven’t commented on the value of the Initial Public Offering. If true, the professional social network could beat other speculated tech IPOs like Facebook and Zynga to the punch. However, LinkedIn declined to give any detailed comment on the rumour, telling Reuters “An IPO is just one of many tactics that we could consider”. The news comes just days after US investment firm Goldman Sachs put $450 million into Facebook. The company is offering this stock to its wealthy clients, although the deadline for those clients to express interest has reportedly been brought forward to today due to a high level of interest. According to Fortune, Facebook is raising this round in order to remain below the 500-shareholder limit beyond which itwould be forced to publicly disclose its financial results. So, the thinking is Facebook may well be steering clear of going public for now. LinkedIn claims to have 85 million members and to be growing fast, although as we noted back in September, it’s not without its problems as a service. We’ll be watching how this story develops. |
| First look at Ridley Scott’s YouTube movie Posted: 06 Jan 2011 01:31 AM PST
Last summer, YouTube announced that legendary Hollywood figure Ridley Scott would be producing ‘Life In A Day’, a movie consisting entirely of user-submitted video clips from around the world, capturing snapshots of life around the world on 24 July 2010. Now Google’s video service has shared the first in a series of clips of the movie, which will get its premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival on 27 January. In the run up to that, more clips will be posted on the Life In A Day YouTube Channel. The complete film consists of 1,125 clips submitted from around the world, with successful contributors getting “Co-director” credits in the film which is directed by the Oscar-winning Kevin McDonald. The first clip from the film features a Spanish girl climbing a “Human castle”. We look forward to seeing more clips from what must surely be one of the most ambitious and high profile user generated content projects yet attempted. |
| Microsoft brings touch to everyone with its new Touch Mouse Posted: 05 Jan 2011 08:48 PM PST Aptly named, Microsoft has released a new device called the Touch Mouse at CES today. Bringing gesture control to all users, whether they have a touchscreen or not, the device aims to fill the gap between those of us who don’t have a screen to press and those who do. Regardless of whether you’re a touchscreen fan or not, the mouse should bring some welcome function to the Windows 7 interface. Scrolling, panning, paging forward and back, docking, minimizing/maximizing, showing desktop and more events are all supported by the mouse which is available for pre-order now. According to Winrumors, the Touch Mouse will run $79.95 and you can place your pre-order via Amazon. |
| Everything that Microsoft announced at CES in one handy list Posted: 05 Jan 2011 08:48 PM PST
We are going to keep each bit brief, and point you to a main article or source to prevent information overload. Of course, we hope that you had a chance to follow the news with us, but given that time zones are rough, we are here to help. Without further ado, all of Microsoft’s big news at the best place. Let’s get started. Windows 8, ARM, and System on a ChipMicrosoft has been working with a number of chip companies to bring a technology called ‘System on a Chip’ to the world of Windows. As you may of guessed, System on a Chip is a method of combining chips into a single unit to save battery juice while bringing big power. The important news is that Windows 8 was shown running on these chips, including ARM chips. No, we didn’t get to see any Windows 8 UI elements, but Win8 is real, and will run on ARM and x86 chips. Read more here. Surface 2The Surface lives on, and the Surface 2 was demoed today with great effect. It is more powerful, cheaper, smaller, and can be mounted on a wall. In other words, Surface is now primed for the mass market for the first time. Read more here.
Xbox 360 Content With KinectMicrosoft is not bothering to release a new piece of hardware for its tv push, but is instead working to fuse Xbox 360 and Kinect together to provide the world’s most compelling entertainment solution. Kinect gesture support is coming to Netflix, Hulu Plus, ESPN, and Zune on Xbox 360 in a big way. If you own a 360, this is for you. Read more here. Avatar KinectMicrosoft is bringing face recognition to Kinect to support your facial movements for your Xbox Live avatar. New capabilities support the creation of full 3D chat rooms for you and your friends on Live. The technology is a big step forward for Kinect, and shows the unlocked power that the gadget has yet to manifest. Read more here. The Big Xbox and Kinect NumbersWe will keep this terse: there are 30 million Xbox Live members; a new one joins every 2 seconds; Microsoft has sold more than 50 million Xbox 360s around the world; Microsoft sold 8 million Kinects in the first 60 days. Read more here.
Windows Phone 7 Coming to Sprint and VerizonAs expected, Windows Phone 7 is coming to Verizon and Sprint this year, opening massive new sales opportunities. This was a complete no-brainer for Redmond, and was something that we expected. The phones will launch in the first half of 2011. Read more here. OtherThe popular Windows 7 has sold some 7 copies a second, and Microsoft demoed some very sexy new Windows hardware. Among the mix was a dual display laptop and some other interesting tablets. Ballmer claimed that the gadgets wold go on sale ‘in a few months.’ That is just about it ladies and gentleman. More as it comes.Top Image Credit |
| Bluetooth Jewelry, Now Just $120,000! Posted: 05 Jan 2011 08:23 PM PST
If you answered yes to either of those questions, you’re one of the few people that can afford the new line of Bluetooth jewelry brought to you by Novero. This week at CES 2011, attendees will get a look (from afar I’m sure) at Novero’s Victoria Collection which hides a Bluetooth headset inside the necklace’s pendant. And they start at (slowly raising my pinky to my mouth) $120,000. Can you imagine “misplacing” this baby? Whew. Novero’s CEO and former Nokia employee, Razvan Olosu, will be at CES all week showing off and unveiling new BT jewelry as well as speaking about the company’s upcoming plans for 2011. |
| Microsoft sold 8 million Kinects in 60 days Posted: 05 Jan 2011 07:07 PM PST
Microsoft called 2010 the biggest year ever in Xbox history. As we noted before, the Kinect has been an effective rejuvenator of the Xbox 360 brand. More than 50 million Xbox consoles have been sold around the world. Microsoft had estimated that it would sell 5 million Kinects last year. It exploded that tally, showing strong global demand for its natural user interface efforts. In other news, there are now 30 million members of Xbox live. A new member joins every two seconds. If you are counting, 60 days from the launch of Kinect was the 2nd of January. Keep your eyes peeled, we have more Microsoft news coming. |
| Samsung Infuse 4G: New Android handset with 1.2GHz Processor & 8MP Cam Posted: 05 Jan 2011 06:55 PM PST
It appears to be quite thin with a large 4.5" screen with both a front and an 8MP back- facing camera. And, as it usually goes, the front-facing camera has fewer (1.3) megapixels than the back. It looks similar to the Samsung Galaxy S and considering the size of the screen, it's sure to be a great device to watch media and play games. The Infuse 4G's display is Samsung's next-generation Super AMOLED technology that they claim has 50 percent more subpixels. But this device isn't 'all show'–it's sporting some serious power under the hood with the inclusion of a 1.2GHz Hummingbird processor. The Samsung Infuse 4G will ship with Android 2.2 and will be available through AT&T in the US. The Infuse's older brother, the Samsung Galaxy S, is a brilliant looking phone, the body itself seemed a bit lightweight and well, um, cheap. I'm personally hoping the Infuse will have more of a solid-sturdy feel. AT&T has announced that the HTC Inspire 4G and Motorola ATRIX 4G will also be on its bench this year although they've yet to release the price points.
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| Discover the entire world around you with Localscope. [FREE APP CODES] Posted: 05 Jan 2011 05:54 PM PST
How does one solve such a problem? One can conduct a Google or Bing search for a desired item, use an app like Yelp! to discover what’s nearby and what others have said about each spot, one can send out a Tweet and hope someone responds, one can ask locals for recommendations, and the list goes on and on and on. The problem with these solutions? Each is limited to providing only single options depending on which method you choose and the functionality of each is limited in a myriad of ways. What if there was a way to conduct a search, regardless of one’s location, for over 34 different items including: Pubs, Hostels, Barbers, Parks, Hospitals, Gyms, Spas, Restaurants and more, using a single app? You can and it’s super slick. Localscope ($.99) is a social data-powered GPS app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch providing precise information on where you are and what's around you. The app, from Cynapse, not only features a grand design, but it’s functionality is equally as stunning. Localscope allows users to conduct searches via Google, Bing, Foursquare, Twitter, and Wikimapia from a single, easy-to-use, user interface. Conducting a Google search for a restaurant nearby returns the following results: Once the search is completed, the app pulls up contact information so users can call locations directly or store them to your address book, offers map and direction options, and allows users to share a location by SMS, email, Facebook or Twitter. A Foursquare search provides: One gets the same map, direction and sharing options, plus a link to the Foursquare Venue URL. The only thing lacking is the contact information to make reservations. Thankfully a quick swipe to the right brings you back to the Google or Bing tab where you can secure reservations at your desired port of call. Twitter searches are more interesting simply for what one finds. Example: One sees Tweets from certain locations, the ability to view the Tweet and the user’s Twitter profile, in addition to the map and direction features. Regardless of how you search for items using Localscope, the really neat feature of Localscope is how one can choose to view results. The options available are “List,” “Map,” or “Augmented Reality.”
The list view is fine, as is the map option, but augmented reality is where Localscope takes the cake. To wit, sitting in my living room, deciding where to dine this evening, I discovered the following:
Simply grand. Boi Na Braza it is, complete with contact information and how far it is from my home. Even more grand? The first 40 readers who email info@cynapse.com will get their very own copy of this incredible app. Localscope is truly a tool anyone can use and appreciate. Localscope not only helps you discover what’s near you locally, but anywhere you happen to be at anytime. |
| Microsoft Surface 2 is real and it looks amazing Posted: 05 Jan 2011 05:49 PM PST
The second incarnation runs on Windows 7 and has some very impressive hardware inside to make it leaps and bounds better than its predecessor. According to Tom Warren:
The new vertical mount capability will greatly add to its potential use case array. The first announced customer, Royal Bank of Canada, will install the devices this year. The new Surface is to be widely available later this year, and again according to WinRumors will be priced lower than the first version of Surface. I had the chance to play with Surface 1 in 2009 at Microsoft’s PDC, and I found it to be a very powerful piece of research hardware. The new surface has taken the original concept and made it appropriate for mass consumption and use.
It could be that, given the new tile interface that is supposed to be under preparation for Windows 8, the Surface 2 has a large future in Microsoft’s hardware and software lineup. Mass mountable Surface computers with two hand multi-touch in my apartment? Sign me up. Images via WinRumors and Long Zhen. WinRumors, ZDnet, Top Image Credit |
| Guy Kawasaki promotes his latest book by giving away his first one Posted: 05 Jan 2011 05:46 PM PST
Kawasaki, who started with Apple Computer in 1983, has been around to see some amazing things. From his tenure at Apple to his time spent now as a venture capitalist, many of the ideas are laid out in the book and it’s still a great read today. Want a copy? It’s as easy as heading over to the Facebook page for Enchantment, clicking like and then clicking the download link for the PDF. Give it a read and share the information with your friends. In a world where people and things disappear in the blink of an eye, a book that’s relevant 23 years after it was written is pretty impressive. |
| Verizon’s first LTE phone? Motorola’s dual-core, 4.3-inch Droid Bionic. Posted: 05 Jan 2011 05:24 PM PST
Of course, to top off all of these lovely features, you’ll also have the ability to run everything at blazing fast LTE speeds — if you’re in an area that is covered. Oh, and you’ll have to wait until at least April before getting your hands onto one. The closest that we have to a definitive date is “second quarter”. There’s also been no pricing set, but you can almost bet that the typical $199 on a 2-year contract will continue. From the looks of things, the Bionic is a rework of the wildly-popular Droid X. With the gigantic screen and similar high-quality display, the Bionic looks more like a refresh than something entirely new. What remains to be seen is the true advantage that LTE will bring to a mobile phone experience. Will the Bionic change our mind about the X being Verizon’s best phone? We’ll have to wait until we get our hands on one, but we’ll let you know soon. |
| Posted: 05 Jan 2011 04:42 PM PST We’ve rounded up 10 gadgets from CES 2011 that all have one thing in common, they’ll work with your iPhone /iPad or iPod. Withing’s Blood Pressure Monitor
AliveCor’s iPhone ECG Heart MonitorAt first glance, this accessory appears to be a cool-looking case however it’s able to turn the iPhone 4 into a real heart monitor. It’s a wireless "clinical quality cardiac recorder”. Like many of the medical iPhone devices we've seen, it works with an iOS app that displays the heartbeats (using the iPhone 4 as a monitor) as it does on heart monitors that you've seen in hospitals. It works in two ways, by pressing the case up against your chest or by holding it in your hand. Hopefully this device will work with a wide variety of third party apps as well. This gadget is absolutely incredible to say the least. It’s expected to retail for about $100. ElectroHub Charging Station
Mophie PulseMophie Pulse was designed for iPod gamers looking to add some tactile rumbling to the gaming experience. The aluminum case sports haptic rumble-feedback, speakers in the front for stereo sound and it has rubbery grippers found on the back of the device. As the video points out below, sadly, it's not actually able to power the device itself but the rumbling feature looks kinda neat. This is currently just a prototype and Mophie has not released the cost. Crayola ColorStudio HD
Iomega SuperHero
Cinemin Slice iPad dockThis is an iPad dock with a cool twist. It's a multimedia Pico projector audio dock that makes it easy to share videos and images from your device. Cinemin Slice is a plug-n- play device that uses a 30pin connector which makes it compatible with iOS devices. However, you can also use it with media devices that support HDMI (1.3) and it has AV ports for personal media players. The VGA port will additionally support PC's netbooks and laptops. This device is brought to you by WowWee and boasts that Cinemin Slice will project "crisp 60-inch image from over 10 feet away, or from floor-to-ceiling in a typical room." A cool piece of gear that will set you back $429.99 Joby's GorillaMobile OriJoby, the company that brought us the popular line of durable GorillaMobile tripods has a new product called Ori. It's an adjustable aluminum stand for the iPad that aims to help users get more comfortable with their iPads. The stand, inspired by Origami, allows you to tweak the display height and use the swivel function to move between landscape and portrait modes. It's constructed of a "super-strong, lightweight aluminum composite". It also appears to fold down nicely when its not in use. Overall, its height and design is a major win. It retails for $79.95. BodyMedia FIT Armband BW
Oxygen Audio’s O CarOxygen Audio's O Series, the "O-Car" is a new car entertainment system that turns your iPhone into an interactive faceplate for the stereo. The iPhone slips into the dock allows users to make hands-free calls while accessing any app (including GPS) on your phone. Users can of course access their entire iTunes collection and receive a charge while the iPhone is attached. The user interface works in both with an app that enables users to quickly flip through stations by using a swipe gesture on the screen. Video: iPhone Blog, Image: ElectroHub, Image: Body Fit Armband, Image: iPad |
| Waiting for Tweetie for Mac 2.0? Your wait might be over tomorrow. Posted: 05 Jan 2011 03:27 PM PST Back in June, we detailed a conversation that Tweetie developer Loren Brichter had with Ars Technica about Tweetie 2. While we’ve still been waiting, however impatiently, for the newest version of the now-aging client, it appears that the wait might finally be over. According to some information that we gathered over at RazorianFly, Tweetie for Mac 2.0 will be coming to you tomorrow, via the Mac App Store. While there aren’t a lot of details available, we do know that it will feature user streams, allow for native retweets and allow “drag and drop” tweets. But how does it look? From what we’re seeing, it appears to be just as slick as the current version:
Of course, if it does indeed land tomorrow, we’ll be grabbing it quickly and giving you the full review. Make sure to keep an eye on TNW Apps. |
| CES 2011: Tons of tablets. Only one Xoom. Posted: 05 Jan 2011 03:22 PM PST 2011 is the year of the tablet at CES, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Since so many tablets (over 20) are being announced, we’ve stacked up the best ones and weighed their definitive characteristics against the reigning Apple iPad. Even with multiple operating systems, slide out QWERTY keyboards and a myriad of designs and forms, there’s no clear iPad killer yet, particularly with what we know of the much anticipated iPad 2. Asus’ Eee Series
Their second tablet, the Eee Pad Transformer, also called “My Wave” features a detachable full keyboard, Android 3.0, a Tegra 2 processor, the same dual cameras, and a 32GB SSD with 1GB of memory. ($399-$699, available in April) Their last tablet is the Eee Pad Memo (image to the right), which bridges the gap between a giant smartphone and a tablet, measuring a tiny 7″. It’s got a Snapdragon processor, the same dual cameras, and can be used as a phone with a Bluetooth MeMic accessory. ($499-$699, available in June) Verdict: With so many different screen sizes and designs, a consumer will surely be faced with buyer’s remorse. In fact, I’m feeling overwhelmed just looking at them. Lenovo’s IdeaPad U1
Verdict: It’s available in China only. They released a similar version last year that never made it to the states either, so don’t hold your breath. Sharp’s Galapagos
Sharp is hopping on the CES bandwagon this year with its own “Galapagos” e-media tablet that also takes aim at e-readers. It has a 16:9 LCD touchscreen, is WiFi enabled and works with Galapagos, a cloud-based bookstore in Japan that offers e-books, newspapers, magazines movies, games and music. All downloaded content is stored on the tablet’s microSD card so users can continue reading e-books without a WiFi connection. The device currently runs on Linux and is only available in Japan. They announced a US launch date of late 2011. (Prices not announced) Verdict: Too early to tell. If the device does come to the states, it will be interesting to see which platform it chooses to distribute content from. Samsung’s TX100
Samsung unveiled its Samsung TX100, a 10.1″ hybrid tablet running Windows 7 with 4G. The multi-touch screen hides a sliding QWERTY keyboard and mousepad. It’s powered by Intel 1.66GHz Z670 Oak Trail processor and features WiMax availability, an ambient light sensor, USB and HDMI ports, 2GB of RAM and 32GB / 64GB SSD options. The tablet is pre-loaded with a range of Samsung and Bing apps. The coolest thing about it? It boots in under 20 seconds. ($699, available in March) Verdict: It’s fast but the screen and keyboard mix feels cramped. Honestly, I’m not sold on the hybrid trend. The iPad is a thoroughbred, this is a camel. Motorola’s XOOM
The most anticipated tablet of CES is undoubtedly the Motorola XOOM. Announced just moments ago, XOOM will run on Honeycomb, the tablet friendly version of Android. It is in fact the first device to incorporate Android 3.0 Honeycomb, Google's new operating system developed specifically for tablets. The Motorola XOOM’s 10.1″ widescreen is HD optimized. The tablet includes a fully functioning HD camcorder and a 5MP camera to view and edit videos and photos immediately. It’s sexy and it’s slick. Actually it looks exactly like a black iPad. The clarity is beautiful. The speed is astonishing. The device will launch as a 3G/Wi-Fi-enabled device in Q1 2011 with an upgrade to 4G LTE in Q2. No word on pricing yet. Watch a video of the XOOM experience here. Verdict: This is the by far the best tablet I’ve seen announced at CES. It will be to the iPad what the Droid is to the iPhone. Apple addicts might still be left feeling unsatisfied, but for all the Android loving technophiles out there it’s time to empty out your piggy bank.The New York Times, Gizmodo |
| Microsoft is bringing Windows 8 to ARM Posted: 05 Jan 2011 03:15 PM PST
Windows 8 will support System on a Chip ARM-based systems from “NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments.” Microsoft also made plain at the time that x86 support will continue and that “normal” Windows software will run on an Intel based System on a Chip machines without rewrites. Microsoft has also stated that Office, going forward, will run on ARM System on a Chip systems. No cameras were allowed in the room, and no Windows 8 UI elements or release schedules were shown or discussed. Why the move to include ARM support? Is it the end of WinTel? Not at all, and according to Mary-Jo Foley the addition of ARM was merely to make different form factors more feasible, not to tease Intel out of the desktop:
This is an evolutionary step by Microsoft to open the future of Windows to new and more diverse form factors and hardware partners. While this announcement is perhaps not as sexy as what Ballmer should flash on stage later today, it is none the less a very important move by Microsoft. The company had this to say: “With today's announcement, we're showing the flexibility and resiliency of Windows through the power of software and a commitment to world-class engineering. We continue to evolve Windows to deliver the functionality customers demand across the widest variety of hardware platforms and form factors” Will ARM save Microsoft’s tablet ventures? Perhaps not, but it may be a step in the right direction. For further reading, Microsoft has put together extensive background material for the inquisitive.Microsoft, ZDNet, Windows Team Blog, Ed Bott, Top Image Credit |
| Android 3.0 Honeycomb gets a teaser video. Verdict? Amazing. Posted: 05 Jan 2011 02:27 PM PST We’ve heard talk for months that Android 2.x wasn’t the OS for tablets and the latest teaser video from the Android team shows us exactly why that is fact. With a completely reworked interface and a UX that appears to be designed from the ground up for tablets, Android 3.0 should more than make up for the follies of Android tablets thus far.
Thanks to the folks over at Engadget for snagging the video before it was made private. From what we see, it should be amazing, as long as there are applications to keep it supported. If it truly does work as well as it appears, the tablet market is set for a major shakeup. |
| RunKeeper adds heart rate monitoring, two-way sync and more in latest update Posted: 05 Jan 2011 02:02 PM PST If you’re a runner, chances are that you use RunKeeper. Even with the Nike+ app in the space, RunKeeper has continued to set the pace (no pun intended) for runners worldwide. The latest update adds some great features that you’re sure to love: Heart Rate MonitoringWant real-time heart rate information? Of course you do. Now RunKeeper supports the Wahoo heart rate monitor for the iPhone and the Polar WearLink+ transmitter with Bluetooth for Android. Selective SharingWant to share your activity or maps, but only to certain people? Now you can. Selective sharing will let you choose partners and share your activity or maps as you see fit. All The RestTwo-way sync will let you keep things in line with your RunKeeper.com history and you can update activity from either the app or the website. There are more audio cues for the iPhone version, and Android will have them soon. Finally, you can manually update your activity into the app. Full details are available on the RunKeeper blog, and keep in mind that the app is free through the end of January to help you kick off that weight loss resolution. |
| How Technology Has Changed Education Posted: 05 Jan 2011 01:22 PM PST
Technology inside of education is a somewhat problematic premise, an idea that generates controversy from the earliest of primary school grades right through to the top of the academic pyramid, graduate school. As you well know, technology can be a powerful tool for learning, and it can be the same for cheating. It can be used to inform, and to distort. It can boldly open new doors, while flinging open some that were perhaps best left closed; not every topic is appropriate for all age groups. While some elements in the world of education still want to stress cursive penmanship and hand-editing, it is hard not to admit that technology, specifically and mostly the internet and personal computing, have transformed the modern world. These are things that modern students were raised with, so completely that to not give them their due would be to cheapen the impact of what might otherwise be a strong education. Ask yourself this: would you rather a pupil taught how to quickly write in cursive, a full-page of their thoughts, or rather to learn how to adroitly employ any computing station put before their little hands? If you want the pupil to be competitive, you had best pick the second option. Now, the question then becomes just this: what are the identifiable effects of our modern technology on education? Let's try and get our arms around the topic. CollaborationCollaboration is becoming a real-time event. While this topic applies mostly today at the collegiate level, it will surely seep backwards down the grade scale to reach younger students. This has the impact that you might guess, increased productivity, but it has a host of secondary benefits that most students do not recognize until they complete their first project in such an environment. What happens? You can't hide and accomplish nothing if everyone is watching you work. You are also somewhat 'on display' while working, meaning that your initial draft of that paragraph you are putting at the top of your team's business plan had better make sense the first time you pen it, and only improve from then on out. Deadwood beware, it's easier to hide in document versions bouncing around email accounts than on Skype with three other people working a mere two pages over. Free products like Google Docs are becoming not just accepted, but de facto solutions at a rapid pace, revamping the idea of teams, and team projects. Instant ResearchAsk anyone over the age of 50 with a PhD what it was like to get the information that they needed and they will generally begin to swear and discuss how young people these days have it so soft. They are not merely being curmudgeon-esque (well perhaps a few) but on the whole they have a point: nearly every fact is no more than a few taps of the keys from anyone, making the accretion of information, well, child's play. What does this mean? It has been speculated that this will lead to a decline of respect for intellectuals, but that seems unlikely. Knowing how to search for something is merely the first step to real comprehension, which involves a deeper understanding and critical analysis. On the whole, intellectualism and its pursuits will always command respect. CheatingNothing is free. Everything has a cost. While technology, as we have just seen, can have very positive effects it can also have some very negative impacts. Things such as cheating are now simpler than ever, and I don't mean writing on your hand. Your class is allowed to use a graphing calculator for the test? Write a program on it that contains all the formulas that you need and presto, you pass the test. Chance of being caught? Zero. Or just take a picture of your homework and send it via SMS to your friend, who copies it on the bus on the way to class. By constantly cutting down on data transfer times (from letter to telegraph and so forth) it has become trivial to share information that is not yet due, but will be graded. To combat this, many classes are slowly ratcheting down their emphasis on graded homework, and pushing harder and more grade-important tests where it can be harder to cheat. FocusFinally, and to wrap up, it may be said that for all the technology we put in the classroom all we do is distract children from actually learning. Are we showing children blinking lights instead of books and so forth? The complaint should be formed into a question: is there a way to employ new technology intelligently avoiding its pitfalls while reaping its rewards? Yes, by having strong and smart teachers who can use the tools that technology offers without falling on their sharp ends. Technology is changing our world, and we have to understand the implications of its use for our children's education. Education is affected by technology in a very real way, however the timeless goals of education should be respected. This article is supported by Dell |
| CES 2011: What’s new from Intel? Sandy Bridge looks stunning. Posted: 05 Jan 2011 11:26 AM PST
So, what’s new from Intel? It smells like peanut butter and chocolate in here (due to the Reese’s on everyone’s seat) but today’s announcement is all about enhancing your visual sensory experience. The “eye candy” is the 2nd Generation Intel Core i7-2720QM featuring their much anticipated Sandy Bridge processor, which was unveiled today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV.
But today’s announcement is focused on the PC, the great Darwinian device that reinvents itself year after year to become more innovative and more affordable to more people around the world. According to Mooly Eden, VP and GM of the PC Client Group, we send 247 billion e-mails and watch 2.5 billion videos a day. In addition, 2.5 billion photos are uploaded every month to Facebook alone. Intel wants to deliver a better user experience for this content, and that means better, faster graphics. Today, Intel unveils “the next evolution of the PC” featuring Sandy Bridge, its highly anticipated microprocessor. The processor takes advantage of the latest graphic technology and 32 nanometer silicon technology. In fact, Sandy Bridge is the first 32 nanometer based graphics engine in the industry. Sandy Bridge is also the first microprocessor that integrates HD processor graphics, a shared L3 cache that is both part of the graphics card and the low power, high performance core side. It features 1.16 billion transistors on one chip. Which is impressive, considering the human brain has anywhere between 20-25 billion “transistors,” or synapses (artificial brains here we come!). Sandy Bridge’s advanced architecture gives users the ability to transcode (moving video from one format to another seamlessly) in record breaking time. For example, the processor can convert an HD formatted video into an iPad or iPhone format in under 16 seconds. The new processor also allows users to edit and watch 3D Blu-ray videos, and then send them wirelessly from a laptop to a large-screen digital TV.
Sandy Bridge is Intel’s best integration with Microsoft to date. Otellini says it will represent over 1/3 of Intel’s corporation’s revenue and a total of $125 billion dollars of revenue for the PC Industry. Eden streamed highly interactive games putting us into a Minority Report type world and stunning clips from action movies like Inception. Watching the top of the line graphics makes you never want to look at any other kind of visual again. It’s hard to communicate the experience, but it’s like how I would imagine someone putting on their first pair of prescription glasses. That “ahhh, much better” moment. It’s hard not to realize the impact this kind of technology will have on the entertainment industry, particularly PC gaming. “Today technology blurred the border between the real world and the visual world,” said Eden, “And the PC is the center of gaming innovation.” The 2nd Generation Intel Core i7-2720QM is 831% faster than their previous model. Watch this video for further explanation here. |
According to 
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