Thursday, December 10, 2009

PLN 28

In Karl Fisch’s article, "I Read (?) the News Today, Oh Boy," about the video of the online interactive sports illustrated, Sports Illustrated- Tablet Demo 1.5, how we are reading and writing is changing. “The way we interact with “text” is changing,” says Mr. Fisch. What used to be in print is now more accessible and easier online or on your phone. Mr. Fisch quotes Jason Ohler, who says that we have to stop training students to use paper and pencil because it will be irrelevant when we have grown up. I agree with this, because when I want to get a job involving computers I want to be able to know what I am doing and now be thrown into a world that I don’t know what to do with. We are going from mostly pencil and paper to majority digital information. I believe that is the easier way anyway. Why do we have to carry around ten pound textbooks that we open once a night instead of putting it online and being able to access it whenever. I think that the Sports Illustrated is only the beginning of a major switch in documents, from pencil to keyboard.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

PLN 27

In the video Google Goggles, and the article "Google Goggles: why didn’t I think of that?," by Karl Fisch what matters is that this is a huge step for technology because there is no typing or speaking involved. For this new search engine to work all you have to do is take a picture and google goggles can figure out what it is and give you information about it. This is amazing to me because I am fascinated by technology and this only improves my thoughts on it. Technology is always moving forward like Karl Fisch’s “Did You Know” video says. Google is also an impressive source and always seem to be coming out with the next technological advance. This also relates to Karl Fisch’s “2020 vision” which talks about the technology in the next 11 years. This new search engine by google is extremely impressive and crazy to think about. I can find out all about a business by a persons business card by just taking a picture of it. I can figure out the artist and title of a painting. I can find out tons of information through google goggles without saying of typing anything.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

PLN 26

In the article by Karl Fisch, “A Shift in the Digital Divide,” what I thought was interesting was that non-Hispanic whites were not at the top of each graph they were at the bottom. This graph is about how many young Latinos, Blacks, and Whites have used mobile devices. All the graphs show that Latinos are at the highest ethnic group in use of mobile IM, Texting, Emailing, Internet, directions, video, and music. This article says that they believe it is because young Latinos and Blacks are spreading their knowledge with older generations. Another reason they think is that mobile is cheaper than home connection, but you get the same thing. I have a cell phone, but I can’t access the Internet, IM, email, or get directions, but it is very convenient. I can almost always get a signal and talk to whomever I want. One thing I don’t understand is how does this show a shift in the digital divide. What did the old divide look like? I was surprised that non-Hispanic whites were not on the top of each list because almost everyone I know has a Iphone or a Touch and can do all those things on their phone.