Introduction to Computers/Personal

Trends

convergence

Convergence describes the combining of several industries (ex - computers, communications, consumer electronics, etc.) through various devices that exchange data in digital form. [text, 369]

upside

The benefit of convergence is that one device can be used for multiple functions. A good example would might be the Smartphone; a device in which a scheduler and a cellular phone are combined into one unit. [text, 369]

downside

Some of these devices are not always practical. In the convergent devices, primary features may be compromised. For example, if you have an internet fridge, you might get condensation on the computer, or always have to go to the fridge to check your email. [text, 370]

• Dance Party 2007

portability

portacast

Portability means being readibly movable from one location to another!! (Wikipedia, 2007).

Examples of portable devices are cell phones, MP3 players and Palm Pilots.

upside

Devices like PDA's or cell phones make it possible, fast, and easy to conduct business and manage our personal lives.

[text: p.36]

downside

The downside in relation to portability is that unless we are careful, work will invade our personal time [Text 360] A lot of personal information is often stored on portable devices that can be vulnerable if lost or stolen. And as a society, we have become heavily dependent on such portability that it has replaced regular functions of the mind, for example, memorizing capabilities.

personalization

Personalization is getting your device to display your interests from a large body of information such as: TV programs, musics, wireless communication services, the internet services and etc. [1]

upside

One can add their own settings creating things the way they want.

downside

Many people find it overwhelming, thus leading to confusion and eliminating the simplicity of everyday living. The four results are regret, inaction, excessive expectations, and self blame. [text, 371]

time shifting

Time shifting refers to the saving of a program (audio/visual) to a storage medium for future use. Specific types of sfotwares are listed below. [2]

TiVo

It is a commom brand of DVR (digital video recorder) in the USA. It is a device which allows viewers to record television programs onto a hard disk, so they can watch it later. It can be done at the same time as viewing another program; this is called "time shifting". [3]

It costs $12.95 USD a month or $299 USD for a lifetime subscription. [4]

podcast: distracted

VOD

VOD, or Video on Demand is a system that allows viewers to watch videos or clips of videos over a network. It is part of an interactive television system. (Wikipedia 2007).

VOD has a hard drive around 200 hours and is able to save and play back video when you want at your convienice [Text, p.390]

Video on Demand has its advantage over pay per view because it allows you to start the movie you want as soon as you order. It also allows you to watch the movie as many times as you want in a 24 hr period. [5]

The first commercial VOD service to take place was in Hong Kong in 1990. [6]

space shifting

Is similar to time shifting only in the way of storage. Space shifted materials are usually converted into a different file type, which leads to legal arguments about copyright infringement.[7]

MobiTV

Is a global television and digital radio provider for mobile phones, palm devices, PCs and Windows mobiles. This service makes it possible for individuals to have access several popular TV and radio stations right from their personal phone! (wikipedia, 2007) [8]

TU Media

TU Media stands for "TV for you". It was the frist mobile service company and is based in Seoul, South Korea. Currently there are about a half million subscribers[9]

Receive

digital radio

Podcast:SHOWDOWN!!

satellite

Satellite radio is also called digital radio. This radio service is sent from satelites that are orbiting the earth. Only people that subscribe to this service have access to decoding their signals. Exx. Sirius radio and XM radio( text 375) Sirius Canada has approx. 300,000 paid subscribers while XM radio has around 270,000. (wikipedia, 2007) Approx. 4 million subscribers in the states. Subscription is approx $9.95/month - $12.95/month. There are are 2 SDARS ( satellite digital audio radio service ) providers in the states. [text 376] Satellite radio allows the subscriber to access more content from different parts of the globe, providing greater variety in their music/talk show selection.

CD quality

The quality is as good as a CD!

hundreds of channels

Compared to a regular radio, digital radio has many more channels available. [text 376]

No Commercials

No commercials as the radio is sponsored by the satellite provider and of course, the subscribers also share the burden of the cost of operation. [Text 376]

HD radio

Is a higher quality of media output compared to the traditional radio. Using better compression and better delivery methods to a propriety equipment, The client will be able to enjoy a wider range of programs at close to CD quality. How it operates (four steps): 1. Radio Stations 2. Digital Signal Layer 3. Combined Analog 4. Receivers Reduce Interface [text, 377]

analog + 2 digital

Just because you want the latest and greatest, it doesn't mean you have to abandon the old analog format completely. The new HD radio receivers are often HYBRID which will allow the client to listen to more choices of stations.

better quality

The compression of music is increase thus allowing close to CD quality medias to be streamed to the radio.

hundreds of channels

1200 stations to choose from AM and FM frequency

free

YES! Like traditional radio stations, all the programming in HD Radio both in FM and AM are FREE as they are supported by commercial advertising.

[10]

internet radio

Internet radio is a free service provided so that you can access a wider range of music just as easily as digital radio. Internet radio can be streamed and played by a software media player in the computer, such as iTunes. [11]

most popular

The most popular internet radio providers are Yahoo, AOL & MSN. [Text, 378]

hundreds of channels

Currently there are more than 4,000 broadcasts available on the Internet. [12]

free

Most internet radio broadcasts are free, such as SHOUT, Yahoo and Pandora. [13]

MP3 players

An MP3 is a device used to listen to music (or recordings) portably. The most famous of which is an Apple iPod. MP3 is a format that allows audio recordings to be compressed so they are small enough to be sent over the internet or stored as a digital file. (text, 372)

hard drive vs flash

A hard drive is much more common than a flash drive as it allows for more downloads, although a flash drive is susceptible to a drive crash. (text, 373)

sampling rate

This is the amount of times, in KB/second that a song is recorded and converted into a digital value. The better quality the song (or sampling rate) the more space it will take on your MP3. (text, 373)

video

Some MP3 players, such as the Apple iPod offer music video downloads along with the song. This obviously takes a lot more space.

listening habits

An MP3 makes listening to music in any environment possible, for example, while working, during a boring lecture, jogging or while being forced to listen to someone's horrible taste in music in the car. (Selena & Mardi)

It is important because users have access to hundreds of songs while they are on the go!!!! (text, 402)

DTV

podcast

clearer

DTV (digital television) is much clearer than analog TV.

Less prone to interference than an analog TV (text, 401)

not pure digital

DTV takes analog broadcast signals, coverts them into digital signals and then coverts them back into analog signals for viewing. [Text 389]

digital broadcast by 2006

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated that all TV stations must be able to broadcast DTV by 2006. Viewers will be able to get movie-quality pictures, CD-quality sound as well as receive different kinds of information services. [Text, 388]

HDTV

Works with digital broadcasting signals and has a wider screen and higher resolution than standard resolution. [text, 389]

podcast

Way More Clear

HDTV makes its picture clearer by using a wider screen and a greater resolution

[text 377]

HDTV allows for smoother motion, more natural colors, surround sound, and allows several input devices to work together. [14]

pure digital

Pure Digital refers to a constant stream of digital view as opposed to streams of digital-analog-digital

16x9 like movies (not 4x3 like TV)

Standard televisions have a 4:3 width:height ratio, whereas in contrast a HDTV has a 16:9 width:height ratio. [Text, 377]

expensive

Brand new HDTV's can cost anywhere between $500- $2000, but it all depends on the style of the TV, a tube system will cost less than a projection system [15]

New York Leads in HD Uptake

New Yorkers are leading in numbers when it comes to the HD movement. A recent survey shows that 17.5 percent of New Yorkers get HD broadcasts, above the 11.3 percent national average. [16]

It is important because it has a wider screen and resolution than a regular tv. (text, 401)

SDTV

podcast

DVD clearer (less than HDTV)

Standard definition is equal to that of a DVD. [Text 389]

Quality of media that does not match high-definition or enhanced definition, so it is refered to as standard. [17]

more stations

Because an HDTV is so expensive, broadcasters will use SDTV instead. {Text 389}

It is important because it enables broadcasters to transmit more info within the bandwidth allowing them to multicast their products. (text, 403)

Create

digital camera

A digital camera is an electronic device used to capture and store pictures digitally, instead of using film like regular cameras. [18]

Older types of cameras tend to use 35mm photographic tape to store images. Most digital cameras are multi-functional, being able to record video, sound as well as pictures in digital format. [19]

point n’ shoot

Point n' Shoot cameras are (compact cameras) designed primarily for simple operation (eg taking pictures on a trip). Most of them use autofocus or focus free lenses and automatic exposure as well. Point-and-shoots are by far the best selling type of camera. They are really simple to use. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point-and-shoot_camera

SLR

SLR stands for single lens reflex in digital cameras. This particular design allows one camera to accommodate a very wide range of lens focal lengths. SLR has only one lens, and a mirror diverts the image from the lens into the viewfinder; that mirror then retracts when the picture is taken so that the image can be recorded on the light sensor. http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7603_7-6241014-1.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point-and-shoot_camera

megapixels

a megapixel refers to one million pixels. Each pixel is a single point or "sample" in a graphic image. With context to the digital camera, megapixels refers to the number of sensor elements or number of display elements. With a greater number of megapixels, the higher resolution photos a camera will be able to take, because the image will contain more data that translates to greater detail in the photo. Most digitals cameras today have approximately 5-10 MP. (http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/mpmyth.htm) First Day of School!*

storage

Flash memory card stores pictures instead of being stored on film. Flash card come in different formats, such as: Secure Digital, Multimedia, Compact Flash, Memory Sick and Smart Media. Most digital cameras come with a starter card that holds a handful of photos. You can get reusable cards with at least 1 Gigabyte of storage space holding hundreds images. [text, 381]

LCD screens

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. Liquid crystals are lined up between two sheets of glass. They are chemically altered to transmit or block light. LCD is used in digital cameras, cellular phones, and digital clocks. [text, 279]

3D LCD TVs Could Debut Within Two Years

A Taiwanese research group has developed 3D (three-dimensional) television picture technology that can be used on LCD (liquid crystal display) TVs as big as 42 inches, and believes such TVs will be on sale within two years. Users would be required to wear a specific polarized set of glasses for a clear 3D picture on the 3D LCD TV. [20]

video clips

The digital camera also has the ability to record images in video format. Whereas before, a digital camera could only shoot about 30 seconds of video, today some digital cameras can shoot as much as 44minutes of video. [text, 383]

transfer images

The principal methods for transferring images from the digital camera: 1) By uusing a direct connection between your camera and computer usually with a USB cable. 2) Insert the memory card into your computer or a card reader. 3) Putting the camera in a cradle attached to the PC 4) Using a photo printer with a built in card reader. 5) Use a portable hard drive-a Tripper. 6) Use a portable CD burner 7) Use a photo lab or a photo-printing kiosk. [text, 384]

PDA

First Day of School!* Stands for 'Personal Digital Assistants' which are basically a pocket sized computer that's used for calculations, calenders, reminders, e-mails etc. [text, 386] [21]

flash memory

A memory storage device in which the data is retained when power has been turned off.( non-volatile memory ) Lead to the introduction of small, light-weight items including PDA's. [22]

synchronizing

The ability to coordinate data with a PC. Ensures that information stored on a PDA is up to date and consistent with the host computer. [23]

future PDA

Ex. Smart phones

TV

Personal Digital Assistant might be able to play TV shows [text pg. 387] Both broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound over a distance. [24]

photographs

Rather than using a PDA as an organizer, it may also become a handheld device that takes and displays photos, or powerpoint slides [text pg. 387] [25]

weather meter

Handheld weather meter can be useful to predict future weather conditions when going swimming, planning to play golf, or even going on a picnic. Also, a handheld weather meter may even detect wind chill perfect for snowboarders [text pg 387]

GPS

Wristwatch models of GPS (geo postioning system, a satellite based navigation system) allowed clients to monitor heart rates when jogging. PDAs and even regular cellphones also have GPS capability to allow clients to know where they are. GPS locators have already become popular with hiking buffs [text pg. 387]

tablets

A tablet PC is a notebook mobile computer. It has a touchscreen to allow users to operate the computer using their finger, or digital pen. [26]

portable

The Tablet is small enough to carry with you, it is completely wireless which allows you to take it wherever you go. [27]

stylus

A stylus is a writing utensil used on the Tablet PC touchscreen. It replaces the use of a keyboard or mouse. [28]

expensive

The Tablet PC are more expensive than notebooks because of the technology used and they come in a variety of models. [29]

mini tablet

The mini tablet is a more advanced version of the tablet PC. The technology has improved to allow it to do things such as store electronic books. It is also significantly smaller, it measures 6" x 8". [30]

smartphone

Sim Chips

A Sim Chip is a chip that enables the use of GSM Cell phones in other countries. This can be beneficial for students, and those in any profession that involves travel.

http://wso.williams.edu/wiki/index.php/Williams_SIM_Chip_Library

A smartphone is a mobile phone offering advanced capabilities mobile phone. [31]

iphone

I-phone - The I-Phone is a multi-media device which combines a cellular phone, camera, personal media player,and an internet-enabled computer with a virtual keyboard. It is designed and marketed by Apple inc.

However, this device does not fit the category of UMPC as the end user only have read function and not edit function. The document suites in the device will only allow you to open without making edit.

iPhone includes an SMS application with a full QWERTY soft keyboard to easily send and receive SMS messages in multiple sessions [32]

keyboard/stylus

Finger-operated touch-screens are excellent in the iphone which is easy to use. [33]

LCD screen

The Screens resolution is 320 pixels and 3.5 inchs diagonal. It has a special feature called Multi-touch, where you can touch the screen to navigate. (http://www.intomobile.com/2007/03/11/apple-iphone-disappointing-lcd-screen.html)

it has a 160 ppi (pixels per inch) pixel density. [34]

email

The iPhone also features an e-mail program that supports HTML e-mail, which enables the user to embed photos in an e-mail message. PDF, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel attachments to mail messages can be viewed on the phone. Yahoo is currently the only e-mail provider. [35]

the iPhone syncs to your address book [36]

gaming

2nd life

Second Life is an Internet-based virtual world which came to international attention via mainstream news media in late 2006 and early 2007. A downloadable client program called the Second Life Viewer enables its users, called "Residents", to interact with each other, providing an advanced level of a social network service combined with general aspects of a metaverse. Residents can explore, meet other Residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, create and trade items (virtual property) and services from one another.[37] A similar program to the one Second Life will be adding is called BrainGate. It is a brain implant system designed to help those who have lost control of their limbs, or other bodily functions, such as patients with (ALS) or spinal cord injury. A computer chip is implanted into the brain, it monitors brain activity in the patient and converts the intention of the user into computer commands. Hair-thin electrodes sense the electro-magnetic signature of neurons firing in specific areas of the brain, the activity is translated into electrically charged signals and are then sent and decoded using a program, which can move either a robotic arm or a computer cursor.[38]

Second life is a program that can be used successfully with those who are paralyzed to stimulate mobility, it could also trace brain activity and arrest disease, it is capable of interpreting intention and commercial transations could be activated with the use of Linden dollars which can be later exchanged for US dollars.

Second Life can be used in a distance learning technology where virtual (but real) you can take classes; get a real filling of meeting other students, borrow books from libraries, do Tie Chi , go to the beach. This is very useful for people who are not able to go to the class or for people who don’t want to leave their homes. http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/view/611

Xbox

Xbox is the ultimate console with a huge hard drive, a wireless controller, wired headset, and more, all with a premium white finish. [39]

online video games

Xbox has an online gaming platform called xbox live. People have to subscribe to play multiplayer with members from all around the world. With the exception of single player specific games, all of Xbox360 titles now are online compatiable. XBOX live also allows the player to interact with others through communication devices. XBOX Live is convienient in the sense that there is no monthly fee, it is annual. [40] [41]

There are future talks of Microsoft merging the Xbox live with PC user platform with the "GAMES for PC" roll out. However, this will give the mouse and keyboard combination an advantage over game pad users on virtually all games.

• XBOX Live

media hub of house

This is a system for extender play which is pre installed in all the x-box 360s. Includes movies, music, videos and pictures. [42]

PS3

movie quality graphics

The PS3 features a Full HD (up to 1080p) x 2 channels

[43]

PSP

Specs.

The PSP (Play Station Portable) is a handheld portable consel that consists of video, music, games and internet.

The PSP opperates with a main "microprocessor is a multifunction device named "Allegrex" that includes a 32-bit MIPS32 R4k-based CPU". Also a 166 MHz grapics chip to optimize video output.

Reference Wikisite

functions

The functions are: -video capibilities: which you can buy (UMDs) and/or download (MPEGs) -music: download (MP3s) -access internet through WI-FI -pictures (JPEGs) -main function is to play games (UMDs- Universal Media Disc) [44]

advantages

1. Many different variations and accessories (head set, carrying case, cleaning cloth, wrist strap, head phones, etc.) 2. New and exciting colours 3. More games 4. Download games 5. Play Back Movies 6. Access to Wireless Networks 7. Share Games with Friends 8. Slimmer and Lighter

disadvantages

1. Screen is smaller 2. Only 2 hours of game play 3. You must buy your own memory cards 4. Fairly heavy 5. Design not very attractive

cell interacts

The ps3 cell is a 9 core processor, one of these cores is a PowerPC and acts as a controller. The remaining 8 cores are called SPEs and these are very high performance vector processors. Each SPE contains it's own block of high speed RAM and is capable of 32 GigaFlops. The SPEs are independent processors and can act alone or can be set up to process a stream of data with different SPEs working on different stages. [45]

Nintendo

I love nintendo!!

simpler

nintendo wii is fitted with a motion sensor so it allow players to simplify the game controls comparing to the traditional game pad. The games that are available on the wii platform are often very intuitive and can be picked up by people of all ages.

its a game system kids like to use nintendo or lcd

cheaper

it cost less than $250 US [46]

wireless motion

-The Wireless Remote is motion sensing capability. It allows the user to interact with items on screen via movement and pointing through the use of accelerometer and optical sensor technology. [47]

sensor console

Unlike a light gun that senses light from a television screen, the Wii Remote senses light from the consoles Sensor Bar (model number RVL-014), which allows consistent usage regardless of a television's type or size. [48]

Smart Downloads

Japan has launched a download channel which allows Wii users to download game demos, view promos, and see screenshots all for free! This is a smart download because it downloads temporary information into the handheld's internal memory and is deleted once the unit is turned off. It is also smart because it recommends game choice based on your playing record, your age and gender preferences. [49]

Other benefits for Wii owners is that, they are able to view:Commercials, box art, gameplay footage screenshots, and interviews about various Nintendo products including prices and release dates for upcoming DS and Wii games. [50]

Wii

• Wii News

Description

The Wii is the fifth home video game console released by nintendo. The distinguishing feature of the Wii is it wireless controller (the wii remote) which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect acceleration in three dimensions. [51]