Jing

Tuesday 5/29 Assignment

Blabberize is an effective and interesting Web 2.0 tool that can help teachers and students in the classroom. Blabberize is a website that allows students and teachers to make an avatar, add a mouth, and record. Blabberize can be used effectively in any class, but especially History.
For example, in AP History, my class must create a presentation about a topic in History for Mr. Minnocci, such as Prohibition, a President, or a decade. Instead of a typical powerpoint or poster, it would be much more engaging to create a blabberize. The blabberize would effectively communicate the information without boring he students. With the blabberize, I would create a project on Women's Rights, instead of creating a powerpoint that may bore the class. With the blabberize, I would highlight major dates and names, instead of simply writing it on a slideshow.
Blabberize is a great way to make those not comfortable with presenting in front of people gain a bit of confidence. It may be easier for students to create the blabberize in own privacy, and simply press a button in class to present it. Blabberize is rarely used in class, so it will be interesting and intriguing for students,and also can add a little fun to the classroom with the avatars.

Tech Article 5/24

gTar usses an iPhone to teach you the guitar

Incident, a company based in Santa Clara, California has designed a new digital guitar in hopes of aiding guitarists of all skill levels. The guitar utilizes the iPhone in order to help learning how to play the guitar much easier. The iPhone has an app for the guitar that uses software comparable to Rockband and Guitar Hero. The gTar has frets and strings, much like a regular guitar, but the fretboard lights up,making it easier for beginners to get used to finger placement and proper strumming and plucking. The gTar has three levels; easy, medium, and hard in order to challenge both beginners and experts. The gTar itself does not make noise, rather the sensors on the neck of the guitar sends sends a signal to the iPhone. The iPhone then produces the sound. The gTar has a retail price of about $400.

Tech Article 5/4

Blackberry 10 Prototype is Given to Developers
full article here

BlackBerry has recently announced their newest smartphone, the BlackBerry 10. The new BlackBerry aims to revive interest in the BlackBerry market and challenge the iPhone. There is no longer the signature physical keyboard, or a single button on the front of their phone. Executives also demonstrated how users will be able to swiftly change between several apps on the final version of the BlackBerry 10.The prototype phones’ 4.2-inch, high-resolution display is much larger than the 3.5-inch display of the current iPhone 4S but smaller than the one on the largest Android phone, the Samsung Galaxy Note, which offers 5.3 inches. The phone also has two microphones which will enable better sound quality during calls.

Summer Plans

Over my summer break I plan to get a job either at the Rutherford Library or life guarding. I also plan to join a swim team and swim competitively. Furthermore, I plan to spend time with my friends as well as vacation with my family in Wildwood. I will also go to the beach frequently with my friends. Most of all, I will relax with my friends and have fun.

Tech Article 4/21

Orfield anechoic chamber - the quietest place on Earth
full article here
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Orfield Laboratories created a room that is 99.9% sound absorbent. The chamber is so quiet it can be compared to an outer space simulation. The room is made up of thick 3.3 foot fiber glass wedges, double walls of insulated steel, and a solid foot on concrete. Steven Orfield often challenges people to remain in the room in complete darkness. The longest anyone has lasted is 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, the human mind becomes concious of hearing the body's heart beat and breathing as well as the stomach gurgling. This sends the brain into a frenzy. People began to hallucinate sounds that weren't there, a way for the brain to compensate for the silence. The complete and utter silence confuses the brain, since it is used to background noise constantly. This room can also be used as test chambers for companies as well as labs to figure out how loud a product really is.

Tech Article 4/12

full article here.
Recently, there have been many rumors of Iran blocking the Internet, and instead creating an "Intranet" for the entire country. These accusations have been denied by the Iranian government, who claims that the "propaganda wing of the west" had created such rumors. The rumors included plans to block websites such as Google, Hotmail, and many other sites. The Ministry, however, denies these plans. Although the Internet will not be banned, there are many filters on the Iranian government that ban websites from the Iranian people. These filters, however, can easily be maneuvered, allowing Iranians complete access to the Internet