"I'll Pick up the Tab"

By: Reid Mene

     Its been a great run but unfortunately this will be my last blog;at least for the time being.  So I want to leave you all with something special I recently came across that caught my eye in particular.  For those of you who are in my class you saw that I did my presentation on the iPod V. Zune understands the war between Apple and Microsoft. Now a new competitor has just come into the ranks and with their product their going to give the two a fight for what Santa will be packing in his bag this year.

 
Samsung brings us their version of the IPad, known as the Galaxy Tab. We can call this the Android V. Apple battle. The Tab is very similar to the iPad but what makes it special is that its much sleeker and lighter while still having the same speed processor as the iPad.  Unlike the iPad this puppy comes with different options for internal storage while also containing a 32GB of expandable storage, so for those of you who love to really fill up space this is the product for you.  With two cameras, video recorder as well, holding up to 7 hours of video playback this thing multitasks in ways never thought possible.  It brings a full-featured multitasking support for Adobe Flash.  In todays society something that can multitask is our best friend.
   I hope those of you who have read my blog over the last few months enjoyed my posts.  Happy holidays!

Did Auto-tune Ruin the Music Industry?

By: Reid Mene 

    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw

   Music has been around since the beginning of time and up until recently to be a successful musician or singer you have to be talented.  Now what sounds wrong about that sentence?  Today some of the most popular artists on the radio are some of the most unskilled singers while talented voices go to waist.  Auto-tune, something we have all heard of has changed the music industry, as we know it.  It all started about four or five years ago a man by the name of Andy Hildebrand created the technology. This device was not initially intended for music purposes but actually for interpreting seismic data.  If your wondering what that is, it measures earthquake frequencies but soon after he created the device he realized it could be used for correcting the pitch of a singer making the quality of the pitch much better and on point.

   Some of the most popular artists today have become very accustom with the use of auto-tune and it actually has made their carriers.  Artists such as T-Pain, Akon, Natasha Beingfield, Tim McGraw, New Found Glory and Cher are just to name a few, but all have used the device to drastically improve their carrier.  Singing sensation Cher was the first artist to use auto-tone on one of her most famous songs, “Believe”.  The device uses a phase vocoder to correct the pitch of the person singings voice.  This machine is supposed to disguise off tone notes that people make when singing making the human voice meets perfection. 

    Many people feel this actually takes away the appeal of music because with this device anyone can sound good.  I feel that it is a disgrace to singers everywhere because singing is something people are either born with or not and now anyone can be a hit singer.  Singing is just like any other form of art it requires hard work and talent and this devise takes away from that.  That would be like if someone made a device that made someone’s painting better or for him or her.  Its not their actual work so why should they be getting credit over it especially over thousands of people out there who having amazing voices who are dying for the chance to show the world of their talents.

    Recently on the news they gave a story on a bed intruder where a rapist climbed into a girls bedroom in the ghetto and attempted to attack her.  Although she went unharmed the new team interviewed the females brother and he said some pretty hilarious things.  This video became extremely popular and some kids made the interview into a song using auto-tone and now this video is being nominated for a Grammy.  This person was not even singing but with the help of auto-tone it tuned this interview into an actually pretty catchy song proving that auto-tone can make literally anyone sound good.  

    Auto-tone has received mixed reviews, some people like the sound it makes while others such as singer Jay-Z feel its ruining music.  He is so opposed to it he went to the lengths of making a song called, "Death of Auto-tone."  There was lots of controversy over this song, but frankly I think it was a great song because it really reminded people of how fake auto-tune is and that it disrespects talented singers everywhere.

Message From: LoverBoy547: "I Think I love You"

By: Reid Mene

Not until recently have men and women found their life partners before ever coming face-to-face with them.  What I mean by this is online dating services.  Online dating sites for those who do not know are sites where people can post pictures and information about themselves and depending on the site they are matched up with other people or they are able to browse through the site and can message those they feel they may be interested in.  Some of the major online dating sites are, E Harmony, Match.com and so on.  (those are just a few you have probably heard about on TV.)  Over the last few years online dating has blossomed into a huge phenomenon for the 21^st centuries generation.  It is estimated that over 20 million people a month visit some form of online dating service.  This may come as a surprise to some people but online dating services have become very popular for many reasons.  Ignorant people think online dating sites are for those who cannot find relationships through personal conduct because they are unattractive or have poor social skills; this I can assure you is not the case.  Although I have never experienced dating through the online world (only because I’m a college student not looking for serious relationships) I have read up as to why people use these sites.  Online dating allows for people who work 8 plus hours a day who do not have time to go out to bars or go to other social places on the regular a change to be able to interact with people and possibly find what their looking for. 

         

   

Internet dating allows for their users to find people who are looking for the same thing they are, or the type of relationship they are looking for.  Often when you meet someone face-to-face and you are interested in them even if they are interested in you, both of you may have completely different wants for a relationship.  One may want a long-term relationship, to find a sole mate and someone to love, while the other could just be looking for a little fling but nothing serious.  Online dating can help people so they don’t have to waste their time with someone who is looking for the opposite of what they want, in turn creates stronger relationships.  Online dating allows for users to meet people from all over the world to picking those in their town.  A major positive that comes along with online dating seems to be that it is a major ice breaker for the first date.  Since you get some background information on the person and have had some contact with them you are one, able to tell if there could be a connection and two there is no awkward intros that a couple could encounter from a blind date. 

       

Personally through what I have seen and read about online dating seems like a very effective form of dating and could possibly be the future of dating in many ways.  In class we discussed how these apps are taking of the Internet and the web is going to become the supreme overlord.  I wouldn’t be suppressed to find the dating services will create apps for their site so people with iPods, phones, smart phones ect. would be able to check up on their account, see if they have any new viewers who are interested and check new members.  If this occurred it could drastically change dating because everyone would be online wither at home or on the go using their gadgets of whatever sort finding dates and long-term love affairs.  

Cyber Bullying, Don't Let It Effect You

By :Reid Mene

This week in class we saw a presentation on cyber-bulling.  For those who do not know what cyber bulling is, it is the act of making fun of or intimidating someone over the internet.   I have some experience with this.  I have had friends who have had this happen to them, and it is not a joking matter.

After reading an article by Alison Browne (http://www.thebeehive.org/school/k-12-students/supporting-my-child-school/top-5-ways-boys-and-girls-bully?gclid=CNm31I64naUCFVB95QodP1X3IQ), I have learned that girls are more likely to cyber bully than boys.  Browne says this because apparently boys are more physical, and when they get upset they tend to resort to physical aggression or verbal conduct.  This is in contrast to teen girls in particular who are more prone to engage in secretive messages through the internet.  As a not-too-long-ago high school student myself, I do understand and agree with this.   I watched innocent girls become a victim of cyber bulling, and they were much more affected by this than I would have imagined.  Males are said to be a little more timid over the internet and are not as gullible.  This results in them not being as forward and outgoing as their female counterparts are.


It is hard to imagine that there are parents today who are not paying attention to what their children are getting involved in via the internet.  Wither it is through social networks, e-mail, blogging or cell phones, cyber bulling is seemingly becoming a more common problem as people adapt to and become more versatile in the internet and its impact.  It’s particularly unfortunate that children have to be scared when they log on at home.   Even home is not safe.  As we wrote our papers on in class, this is a perfect example of how social networks such as Facebook and new media have negative consequences.  It complicates life, rather than simplifying it.  It makes life harsher, rather than making it more pleasant.

Personally, I thought that cyber bulling was something that was prevalent among adolescents, but I have learned that it is a problem for children of all ages.  I recently saw a very troubling video involving an eleven year old girl.  This is unacceptable in a civilized society, and makes victims of all of us. I and egocentric eleven year old cry her eyes out over being made fun of through the internet.  this really made me understand the effectiveness of cyber bullying and that it really can hurt people.

MacBook Air, Its Thin, Its Light, Its the Perfect Gift for the Holidays

eid Mene       

With the holiday season coming right around the corner now is the time when the hottest technologies of the year are being released.  So it makes sense Apple would release their newest addition to the MacBook pro team, the MacBook Air. 

For those Mac lovers, Apple is announcing their newest version of the MacBook, the “MacBook Air.”  This is what Apple terms the culmination of everything they have been working towards, and is considered to be the next generation of MacBooks.  The MacBook Air is extremely thin and light, being the reason it is given the moniker “air.”  This computer is available in an 11-inch model and just this past October they released a 13-inch model starting at $999.  This computer is said to be able to stay in sleep mode for up to 30 days.  (That’s longer than even I can sleep.)  It has a multi-touch track band, battery lasting 5-7 hours and a high pixel density (better viewing quality).  After doing some research on the MacBook Air, I found that although it appears to be the, perfect, computer, there are some limitations.  The Air is said to often over-heat which is never a good thing.  In a review done by Hubet Nguyen of ubergizmo.com, he said that he would not recommend this as your main computer.  He points out that it can be difficult to do a lot of work on a screen this size when doing more difficult or complex tasks.  The MacBook Air is ideal for going on one-week short trips where you need something light that can reboot easily and is easy to open and close.  The MacBook Air is said to be lighter than a net book, which is pretty impressive. For those of you who don’t know what a net book is, it’s a light weight computer that runs on Windows 7, equipped with WiFi and Bluetooth.  This is a versatile computer for business people who travel for work, or anyone who needs easy access to their computer at all times.  No more lugging around full on laptops, the MacBook is the future as the on-the-go computer.

The MacBook is also one of the first environment friendly computers, and what will most likely be the beginning of a new trend.    The MacBook Air is made of a highly recyclable aluminum enclosure, and contains a mercury free LED-backlit display.  MacBook meets ENERGY STAR requirements as well.

            I am very excited to see how this computer will be received.  There is a certain amount of guesswork about need in all new technology.  Personally I am a Mac person, so this excites me and I will actually be hoping Santa brings me this for Christmas.  (Dad, are reading my blogs?) It’s perfect for college students . . . majoring in humanities a/k/a not engineering.  It’s a comfortable, cozy computer to work on for typing in your room, library or class. 

           

           

Facebook Craze! The Ultimite Social Network

Facebook first came out in 2004 as a local social network site for students at Harvard University.  From that humble beginning, the site has grown in popularity to become the most popular social network in the U.S and now the world.  Facebook was designed as a site for college students, then expanded to include high schoolers, and has expanded to include now the general public.  Facebook users range from ages of nine years old to eighty year-olds.  Although it wasn’t until the fall of an earlier social network, MySpace did Facebook becoming the 21st century phenomenon that it is today.  Now it’s a movie.
The movie, "The Social Network,” was released in theaters this year, and it has become a box office hit.  I saw this movie recently.  This movie was not about social networks in general, but rather, about the king of all social networks, Facebook.  It amazes me personally that social networking has become so popular.  We can’t seem to get enough of it.  We want to watch and learn about the story of the formation of Facebook.  We are documenting history even as we still make it.  That last time a new form of media was turned into a movie was "You've Got Mail."   Just as we are fascinated with our own fascination of social networking, we were similarly interested in watching a story about e-mailing.  We are not that different from earlier generations who saw movies where the plot turned on mail delivered by a postman.  "The Social Network,: the movie, goes deep into the beginning of how Facebook began--"Facemash" as it was first called.  Created by the 20 year-old prodigy Mark Zuckerberg, has become the youngest billionaire due to his superior knowledge in programming and his creation of Facebook.  
I had always wondered what it is about Facebook that made it so distinct from all the other social networks.  Obviously there has to be something unique about Facebook that makes it special and more appealing to its users than all the other previous social networks.  The movie, which is made like a documentary, takes us from an idea in Zuckerberg’s head through the early start-up of the company he created.  In the movie there is a scene where another student asks Mark if he knows whether one of the girls in their class has a boyfriend or not.  Mark responds in a sarcastic tone, "I don't know man; people don’t just go walking around with a sign on them saying their relationship status."  After this exchange, he runs back to his dorm to add the relationship feed to Facebook and says to his partner, "It’s done."  It’s simple genius, but genius no less.   Previous social networks missed the mystery and intrigue of humans nature.  MySpace let you post photos, but Facebook created an online biography about people’s lives.  Facebook is a virtual scrapbook of a person’s life and interests.  With the ability to know almost everything about a person, friends and family can follow your life, keep in touch, and even comment on things that go on in your life, and you can do the same to friends and family.  The amount of information you want to see, have seen, or share is limited to your own imagination.  Of all the flowers that have blossomed on the internet, Facebook is the biggest and most colorful flower in the garden. 

Facebook continues to grow continuously adding new items.  Facebook has added an honesty box, the "like" button, which is now on many other sites, instant messenging chat, and the ability to download videos.  I'm not saying there was just one reason for why Facebook gained large popularity in the social network world because it was from a combination of things, including strategically marketing and advertising.  As the movie documents, the founders of Facebook did not want to put ads on the site too soon because it would lose its "cool" factor, or become just another commercial site.  When Facebook first started at Harvard it was hip and underground, and that’s what Zuckerberg did not want to lose.  For this and his understanding of humans, he has become the youngest billionaire, and they made a movie.

ClubPenguin! Who's Joining Next?

By: Reid Mene

            In this week’s class one of the students showed a presentation of a social networking site designed for children.   After her presentation there was much controversy over the subject.  Many students thought the site would be time consuming for parents, plus the site would allow violators to be able to get in contact with children.  After learning about this site I decided to do some web searching on my own to see if there was any other social networking sites designed for kids.  I found one called, ClubPenguin.com.  This site said it was intended for children ages eight and up which is a little bit older than the one that was discussed in class.  This social networking site is to allow kids to get their feet wet in the social network phenomenon we are currently in.  The site is not just a social networking site; it allows children to play fun games as well.  When first signing in to “ClubPenguin,” a child must create his own avatar, which is in the form of a penguin, to promote childlike fun for the site.  Kids are able to customize their avatar in whatever way they choose.  While on the site, other than being able to chat with friends after school, users are able to have their penguins go on a serious of missions, or the game portion of the site.  This social network site is half a game site and half a social network.  It is the introduction—social networking on training wheels—of internet social networking. 

        This site allows the parents to have total control over usage.  On the front page of the site there is a link for parents.  The instructions urge the use of parental control of their child’s profile, allowing them to set limits however they please.  For example, parents can regulate time use, content, viewers, sharing, etc.  Parents are sent emails when a child receives a friend request and the parent has full access to see their child’s conversations.  Parents  also receive warnings when potentially unpleasing material is presented on their child’s page.  The hope is to make parents feel that their child is safe on the site; safe from online predators. "ClubPenguin’s "overall message is that it is a safe, positive, fun place to network online with friends after school.  The site claims that the only violence on the site is the snowballs the penguins will throw at each other.  To promote safety even more, the site strongly urges their users not to post any personal information about themselves, even their sex.  Even if a user should post this information, the site detects it and deletes it from the user’s account.  The site talks about how they understand how children can get carried away with social networks, especially if they use Facebook.  The site encourages parents to sit down and talk with their children about safety, such as things to post and not to post. 

I really feel this site is much more parent oriented than the one that was discussed in class.  This site focuses on parental concerns and child safety.  I would allow my child to create an account on ClubPenguin.  It is fun way for kids to begin interacting on social networks, and gives children an understanding from the outset about responsibility and consequences associate with social networking.  In this way, parents help their child learn good habits when using social networking sites. If a child leans what to say and not to say on such sites then maybe the next generation will not have to be as shameless as we are now.

“Clubpenguin” is created by Disney and I really think because Disney is so well known and believed  to be safe fun for children this will become an extremely popular site for children of this social networking area. 

This is the intro-video that is posted on the front page of the site.  Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4GNaZE8t_8