Monday, May 3, 2010

Useful Internet Based Tools

Photobucket.com http://photobucket.com I love PB because I can find all kind of crazy pictures to post on my social sites. I also upload my own pictures and make cute siggy's for my social sites. I use this site to hold numerous pictures that I would usually save to my computer only to use another and not have access to them.

Skype http://www.skype.com/ I started using skype when my little sister went to college. It is much easier to catch he online to talk to her then on her phone. This is also a good way for others to keep in touch with family without running up your phone bill

Meebo http://www.meebo.com/ I love meebo because I use a lot of social sites and this lets me chat with others on for example on facebook.com while I'm on Cafemom.com

Pizap http://pizap.com/application.php?r=1&width=1080&Height=810 I use this for quick photo editors. No need to download anything to your PC, just upload your picture and use the online tools to edit/ modify your pictures.


Del.icio.us http://delicious.com/ This is a social bookmark saver. Instead of saving everything to your favorite on your PC it is easier to use this site because you will always have your links no matter what computer you use.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Going Green for Exercise

How can you go green with exercise? I know I know you are thinking well I can run around a track, I could ride a bike or even roller blade. You would be correct but wouldn't you rather be in a facility that promotes going green and burn calories? I know I would and facilities all around the USA are working on that.

Ways they are making the facilities are green are, instead of using regular toilets, showers and sinks, they would install low flow products to replace those. This would save 2.5 gallons a minute.
They can also use greywater, recyclable water for laundry and toilet use this will save 35 gallons per capita per day, or 12,775 gallons per capita per year.They could collect rainwater for watering your landscape. When constructing the building or repainting use green seal paint it is healthier for the environment and you. Also when cleaning the facility and equipment they can use green cleaners and disinfected that way when your employees and customers come in contact with the product there is no scent , muss or fuss. You can also go green by insulating the water pipes and heaters for the building.

Many companies are going green with their equipment too. Precor and Life Fitness are two companies that design and produce climbers, cycles and ellipticals that require only your client's energy to power them they even make treadmills that use less power than traditional models.
SportsArt Fitness has developed a treadmill with an Eco-Powr motor that uses 32 percent less energy than traditional treadmill motors.

So there are many ways to go green and stay healthy. I hope more companies not just exercise facilities go green. This would cost extra in the beginning but would be well worth the money you save in the long run.

Links to check out
http://athleticbusiness.com/articles/article.aspx?articleid=3278&zoneid=1

http://clubindustry.com/green/

Monday, April 12, 2010

PeeWee PC

I had never heard of this company until I started looking for kid friendly computers for my boys. I've seen the kid friendly computers at some library's and Doctor offices. The one that I saw was a bit bulky and the child would need a rather large workspace(The Young Explorer). That and the fact it costs about 3000.00 to boot. So I went searching for a child friendly computer that was considerable cheaper. That's when I came across PeeWeePC.

The PeeWee PC Desktop is an All-In-One PC package that includes everything that is essential for a kid's friendly computer. Using a program is as easy as touching the icon on the monitor or clicking the mouse. Each PC is customized to fit each child's' needs, and their individual personalities. The price of the basic PeeWee PC is 299.00 with customizable software added for an additional fee.


The PeeWee PC Advanced Desktop comes preloaded with just about every type of application you might need for your kid's daily computer tasks. The PeeWee PC Advanced Desktop PC is optimized for easy day-to-day use. The USB ports permit effortless extension. You can also sync a mobile phone, add Bluetooth, and even play songs from MP3 players. If your child ever needs more memory, the PeeWee PC Advanced Desktop can be upgraded (up to 2GB). The price for the PeeWeePC Advanced is 450.00 with customizable software for an additional price.


They also offersThe PeeWee Premier PC that has a rotating screen which easily converts from traditional laptop format with keyboard entry to a resistive touch tablet. The included stylus allows control of the touch screen as well as digital pen text input. This convertible functionality enables a world of new usage options for use and control of the PeeWee Premier PC. Built on the Intel® Atom™ processor, the PeeWee Pivot PC is an Intel-powered Classmate PC which features durable, drop and spill resistant construction with a sturdy plastic case and removable carrying handle to withstand demanding everyday use at school, in the house,or for a kid on the go. The price for this baby starts at 699.00


Let's not leave out the PeeWee Power Laptop! These ultra-compact, easy-to-carry laptops are child-friendly and stand up to the roughest treatments and conditions. With durable, drop-proof construction, a sturdy plastic case, and water-resistant keyboard, they can go almost anywhere and be used safely by your little one.The PeeWee Power PC is encased in a ruggedized shell complete with a built-in carrying handle and protective vinyl cover. The two-toned dark- and light-gray chassis weighs in at 3 pounds and measures 8.7 x 7.3 x 1.5 inches. Starting at 499.00


Don't want to buy another PC? You don't have to. This company also offers the PeeWee Kit which is tailored to turn any computer into a kid-friendly PC for children. It includes a USB drive, seven different games and software titles and the PeeWee Security suite which offers online and offline security. A security suite is included with the kit. The “PeeWee Patrol” is designed for computer access controls and the “PeeWee Privacy” takes care of Internet privacy. Parents can control how and when their children use the laptop as well as limit Internet usage, block inappropriate websites, check browsing history or control the laptop remotely. Children also can be prevented from changing laptop system settings and their gaming time can be limited too.The software and game titles are made for three educational levels, pre-kindergarten, early elementary and upper elementary. Subjects covered include mathematics, science, literacy and geography with titles like, Science House, Bailey Book House and Sammy’s Science House. You can purchase each software for 29.99



I think this company is great and very child friendly, so if you don't have thousands of dollars to spend to make or buy a kid friendly PC this is the route to go.

Check out my links Here here and here

Monday, March 22, 2010

Can handshakes heal?

It just might if you shake hands with RUPERT. Arizona State University researchers and Tempe-based Kinetic Muscles, Inc., have developed a robotic arm to help stroke survivors regain the ability to perform basic tasks.This arm will help them relearn reaching for objects and feeding themselves.The goal is for patients to try to guide the robot, in a figure-eight motion above a desk. If you are moving in the correct direction it pulls, if you move it in the wrong direction it offers resistances.This is what the researcher's call a "minutely controlled degree". The rehabilitative device helps with task-oriented repetitive therapy, and with high hopes that it will provide a cost-effective alternative to traditional therapy. This would allow a larger population to regain maximum motor function.


Recent research suggests that stroke survivors can recover significant use of their arms by performing repetitive motor function exercises over a period of time. This labor-intensive physical therapists is expensive, claiming up to 4 % of the national health budget, according to the National Institutes of Health. Some health insurers limit or even deny coverage before stroke survivors achieve best results. This is what happened to my grandmother she was only allowed a certain amount of visits to the physical therapist. Because this device can be used in homes the patient can use it more frequently and for longer periods of time, this technology may prove to be more cost effective and provide better results.



The team is now working to engineer greater intelligence into the device so that it responds directly to a user's intent. Their hopes are that the new improved arm will sense when the patient is"Not only is the goal to make the motion more intuitive, but we want the robot to assist at those points in the movement where the individual needs it," said Dr. He As the individual's motor function improved, RUPERT would adapt to allow the user faster recovery by requiring the muscles to work independently where possible.


I think this is great technology. I know from first hand how hard it is for a stroke patient to regain control of their motor skills. It is a very hard, long road and if this machine can help with healing I hope all hospitals and rehabs get a few. I guess now they need one for a person's leg... I wonder if there is such a device. Guess what next weeks blog may be about?


The research team is led by Jiping He, Ph.D., of the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. Dr. He






CNET
Medical Newstoday
ncbi.nlm.nih.

Monday, March 15, 2010

PS3 Move

So Sony is coming out with the PS3 Move. I guess this would be their version of the Wii. It has a "stick" controller and has what looks like a ping pong ball on the end of it. You will use this with the PS3 eye toy...didn't they try the eye toy before the Wii came out? If memory serves it was a big flop. Well they are revamping it to give you better control then the Wii motion plus . Once rumored to be called the Arc PS3 Move is said it will take the gaming world by storm and loved by hardcore gamers and casual alike.

The Move will come with a bundle pack including the controller, the eye toy and a game for $100.00, reminds me of the past when play station had their bundle pack. The one thing the move will have over the Wii is that it can be played in HD and really do I need HD to sweat? I don't think so. I do like that it is "you" in the game instead of a "mii" like the Wii offers. The Move is said will be more precise then the Wii motion plus if so this will win over some of the Wii fans. One of the first games Sony will release for the Move are Move Party and Sports Champion.They also demonstrated the Move "movements" in their hit title Little Big Planet. I do like the idea of drawing something on a piece of paper and it is incorperated into the game by the eye toy as seen here for the iPet. The future promises Socom 4 and more of the big titles incorporated for the Move.

Among the types of games Move will work with include those that involve swords, bows and arrows, guns, punching and much more. The idea is that Move will provide players with a realistic and precise feeling of holding whatever kind of thing the game calls for a sword,tennis racket, paint brush or a gun. This will also have the attachments like the Wii to give you more of a realistic feel.


I'm very impressed by what I have seen so far and I love the Wii. My husband is a PS3 freak and he is super excited about it coming out in the Fall. If it does live up to it's potential I will surly enjoy playing more with him on the PS3.


check out some of the reviews here, here and here.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Sony and3D

The new big thing coming out may indeed be this! Ps3 will soon launch their new 3d gaming experience. I'm a little torn on this product because while I am a gamer I'm not an extreme gamer and this type of technology seems to be expensive.

To play this game you will need to purchase a special sony television...Sony LH or HX series 3D-capable TV The BRAVIA LX900 is powered by Sony’s revolutionary 3D Integrated technology. This combines a 3D Sync Transmitter, frame-sequential display and high frame rate Motionflow 200Hz technology at a specific signal processing speed to reproduce Full HD resolution 3D images. To ensure users fully enjoy 3D viewing on the BRAVIA LX900, the 3D TV also comes bundled with two sets of active shutter glasses that are synchronized with the images shown on the display. Additional active shutter glasses can be purchased separately, for about $70 to $100. With prices like that how many friends will you actually have over to enjoy this great technology? The prices for these Tv's are relatively cheap for this technology atleast to me, $599-$1659 but with the latest craze on HD tv how many people are willing to go and buy another tv that will have limited use until more movies are released in 3d.

So PS3 3D gaming are getting mixed reviews because of the extra equipment needed and even though the graphics are great it can become boring with time (after the newness wears off) There are only a few games geared towards 3D gaming right now and if these are not the type of games you play you are left holding the bag so to speak. I'm not into wipeout or the Avatar so this at the moment other then it being very cool I don't think I want to own one right now. I would like to play a demo just to say I had the experience so I may have to stop at a Sony store and give it a whirl! Coming soon to a store near you PS3 gaming to be released June 10 and USA soon after.





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me and me

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Asus EeeTop PC ET1602

Will Asus be the next "new" must have name in homes across the world? I don't know but maybe! The more I read about this company and the products they offer the more I'm impressed...then again it doesn't take much to impress me lol.
The Asus Eee Top PC has versatile mobility, interactive touch screen, near silent operation and exclusive touch software. It's basically a one step desk top...as "some" say so easy a caveman can use it. The setup is so simple that it's ridiculous. It gives plug and play a whole new meaning. Take it out the box and plug up the power cord...it's that simple! Move around the house with no problems. This is perfect for the beginner users and will have you navigating like an old pro in no time. It also features an exclusive easy mode within windows to make commonly used applications a snap to use.
It offers a microphone and 1.3 mega pixel camera which is not all that great but it will get the job done for web conferencing for business or pleasure

Like a netbook, the EeeTop PC is designed to supplement your other PCs, not replace them. You shouldn't expect to pick this up and want to complete your work there, you could but I wouldn't advise it. It is more of an entertainment PC. It also includes "Eee Cinema"( media center software capable of handling photos, video, DVD movies and music). The DVDs can only be used with an external device of course, but all of the others are located on the machine itself. Music should be stored in My Music, the videos and photos can be placed anywhere, since the software allows you to go search for it. So no more losing sounds you downloaded yay for them one less thing "we" busy people have to worry about.

Now for the not so wonderful...it lacks an optical drive, has a slow hard drive, small display and high price tag will distract most users from purchasing one of these systems. On the other hand it has touch screen display, low power consumption and overall small dimensions, features that will attract some green users. At 528.00 it's not exactly a steal but isn't highway robbery either. Is it worth your money? Only you can decide that.

ASUS Eee PC ET1602 is silent. Heating up is minimal which is consequence of used components. Since low power consumption was a goal for this system so the integrated graphics card cannot be used for playing games. Hard drive is slow and its performances are not too good.

So even though it won't replace you main pc you will find yourself using it more and more, since it's geared more for the home user and it's easy I think it would and could be beneficial for the beginner who finds their main computer a pain to use.

click me
click me

Monday, February 22, 2010

Talk to text

I know to many this may be old news but to me it's kinda new and interesting. When I first started at ECC I was a "helper" to the blind. I would read and type their homework and help them study. I don't know how long we had the software (ECC) or if it was new but I went into the Curriculum center on the RMT campus and one of my ladies were taking a test with this software. I found it interesting then but with life so busy I put it to the back burner. So now is the perfect time for me to research it.

The one I am researching is the Dragon NatruallySpeaking 10 speech recon ignition software. This software is highly accurate, it's streamlined with natural language editing and system commands,integrates with all Office software....so writing that paper will be a snap. It also works with portable recorders so no more typing notes or for that fact even writing them again. That has to be a plus with any college student! This has a 99% accuracy where the others only promise 97% yes it's only 2% but it makes a difference. They have even increased the speed on the all ready fast version 9. There is a learning curve to master all the commands but what doesn't really have one? Once you learn and practice with the software it will be like a second nature.

Now for the cons...this takes up a lot of computer space so please don't use a Emachine or something equally crappy because this will be the only software that will run and it might not run correctly. It's expensive but I think worth it in the long run. I'm sure after college this would still be a good tool for the business world. This software allows a person to multitask as well because it leaves you hands free and is blue tooth compatible.

This type of software has come a long ways over the years and this is one product that I can say is improved every time they make a newer version. So if talk to text is something that interests you Dragon NatruallySpeak is the software to buy.








pcmag
blogger.com
toptenreviews.com

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Asus G51J 3D

How far would you go for the ultimate gaming experience? Would you run the risk of looking silly and wear 3D glasses? I would! I have recently come across the reviews for the Asus G51J 3D and I am so excited and ready to try out the new technology. At $1,699 this laptop has a 120Hz LCD panel, an Intel Core i7 CPU, a high-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M GPU, and comes bundled with a pair of Nvidia's active glasses and the USB-powered IR emitter required to make the glasses work. Yes it may be a bit pricey but well worth the price and still cheaper then it's competition Alienware. The great look of the G51J 3D extends to the keyboard, with a white back light this gives each key a nice soft glow that can be brightened or dimmed by pressing the F3 and F4 key. Because they dropped the ball a bit the layout does not reach to the edges,some keys are small, like the right Shift key and the numbers on the number pad. On a good note the island-style keys are springy, which gives you a solid typing experience. Because this is a gaming laptop there are a few specific game icons highlighted across the keyboard: Arrows highlight the WASD keys ( movement keys), the 1 -6 keys are highlighted with white circles, making it easy quickly tap whatever number you need to switch between weapons.

Above the keyboard
are the Altec Lansing stereo speakers, and buttons that let you cycle through visual modes and power settings. The speakers deliver excellent sound when tested but not when put against bass heavy music the audio was kind of muddy. Volume will not be a problem unless you plan on blasting then the speakers will disappoint you.Sadly this laptop does lacks a full HD screen but it still exhibits great colors and definition. Pretty good views from 90 degree angles except when you tilt the screen too far back. The screen tends to wash out.

Several ports and slots are available for connecting peripherals. The right side of the notebook hold the 8X DVD±RW drive, two USB 2.0 ports, dual headphone jacks, and a microphone jack.
The left side have two more USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, eSATA, HDMI, VGA, and a ExpressCard/54 slot. The back holds an Ethernet port, while the front contains a Wi-Fi on/off switch and a 6-in-1 memory reader.

Now for the best part...
the G51J 3D is capable of displaying 3D images and videos because of Nvidia’s 3D Vision technology. The G51J 3D uses powered shutter glasses that receive a signal from an infrared emitter that’s attached to your laptop’s USB port. Add this to a display that has a refresh rate of 120 Hz it makes the 3D images pop more than those of lesser system. The glasses themselves are a bit heavier then those of other laptops but not noticible for most and instead of a nose clip add on for those who wear glasses these will fit over your glasses with little problems.The top left side of the shades have a power button, along with a mini USB port on the bottom to recharge them. They should last about 40 hours. There are over 400 games avaiable for 3D gaming so even a picky person should find something they would enjoy.
This 3D screen isn’t just for playing games, you can also use it for watching 3D movies and pictures. Too bad this is more limited then the game Video or photos that have not been shot in 3D can’t be easily optimized for 3D. Videos and photos that were filmed in 3D are bright and have great depth to them. The extra dimension enhances your viewing pleasure. Sorry to all you Blue ray owners because this model does not come with a bay for blue rays...maybe the next model will, I guess you can't have it all.

I give this laptop 5 stars even with the small amount of cons I mentioned. Anyone who is lucky enough to own one will not be disappointed.



For reviews check the links below

http://promos.asus.com/US/PR_2009/G51J_Worlds_First_Notebook/Index.html
http://www.engadget.com
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10400144-1.html
http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/asus-g51j-3d.aspx

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Google's Nexus One phone

It looks like iPhone now has new competition, the Nexus One phone from Google. At a whopping price of 529.00(unlocked) this phone offers talk time up to 420 minutes, standby time 250 hours,Google Android 2.1. playback digital video format, flash memory,a 5 pixel camera. First, Google Voice is deeply integrated with the phone, as it is with all Android phones. This means you can assign your Google voice number to the phone to use it to make all calls and text messages. Every text field in the device is now voiced enabled. In most of the apps you can use the microphone and talk into the phone which will then convert your speech to text. How cool is that? This phone also offers the live wallpaper feature, meaning you can have blades of grass blowing in the breeze during the day or night, it also has a water wallpaper, that if you touch the screen the water will ripple.

This phone is also powered by the Snapdragon 1 GHz core processor, giving the Nexus One’s 3D graphics, multiple applications and heavy browser use the boost it needs. This is a definite step up from the previous Android phones, there is no need to worry about slowdown or lag when you push the phone to it's limits. The noise cancellation feature is great to have. Nexus One has a second microphone on the back that monitors inbound noise and automatically cancels it out. It does a great job of canceling out machinery and wind noise on the other end of the call. Does the iPhone do that?

Now for the cons, because it wouldn't be fair to tell the good and not the bad. The app storage can only be stored on the internal memory, there is no blue tooth dialing and does not support Outlook calender syncing, still does not handle copy/paste very well and there is no UMA, T Mobile currently has the lock on this phone and their coverage is spotty at best. The speakers aren't excellent on play back but they are good enough. The gaming capabilities on this phone has great potential, but they will need to step up their game because at the current time their platform fragmentation makes it hard for developers to create content that will be used on different phones.It currently does not have as many apps as iPhone but give it time, I have a feeling that will soon change.

Pretty much the pros outweigh the cons in my book and if you are looking for a new smart phone the Nexus One is the phone to get. This phone has put "Android" on a whole other level from the iPhone.


Check out more reviews here, here and here

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Apple Ipad Is a No Go!

I was very disappointed in the Apple Ipad. Yes it looks very cool with the digital keyboard and all it's iPhone apps. It has 10 hours of battery life. It's very light weight,it weighs 1.5 lbs and is a half inch thick. Doesn't sound very sturdy. It also has full capacitive multi touch.The prices vary from $499. for 16GB, $599. for 32GB and $699. for 64GB.It comes with zooming maps and street views which I will admit is pretty cool. It even comes with the ibook app if you enjoy reading on the go. You can also get iWorks a suite of apps to help you create documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Everything I mentioned sounds pretty great right? Wrong!

Now for my cons because there are always two sides to every story so to speak. It has NO flash player!Hence one of the reasons of such a great battery life, it does not have a camera so no video conferencing on this bad boy. Wasn't there a rumor about iPad having this feature? This is not a gamers laptop (unless you play the app games), heck it's not even worth buying out of the office settings. How many sites do we surf that needs flash player?

This product to me was a definite let down, I expected so much more. Maybe next year! This will not be at the top of the tweens Christmas list this year.


www.apple.com/ipad/design/
consumer reports

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Introduction

Hi all, I'm Shena Branch-Hightower. I am IT major. I've been going to ECC for about 3 years. I received my GED in 2005. I'm a married stay at home mother with 4 kids.
I am from a family of gamers from the parents to the 5 year old, so I figured computers would be the way for me to go.There isn't much else to tell that will interest anyone. I hope we all have a great semester.