Last post of the semester!

Well I want to thank you all for your awesome work this semester, you have been a great class!  Today (wednesday) is our last day of class and we are going to do a short recap of the semester.  I want everyone to pick one topic or article we discussed in this class then gather information to give the class a 2 minute current update on the topic.  Post the information and summary to this blog. 

Final Project

Write a two-page, size 12, double spaced, 1" margin paper on "How Technology Affects My Life".  Please use specific examples as well as broad statements. Be sure to discuss various aspects such as communication, ethical factors, advancements, etc.  Papers are due by the specified time.  All final projects must be handed in as a hard copy.

Due by 11AM Wednesday, May 9th

Somewhat ironic....

It is somewhat ironic that today we are going to watch a few videos about how technology has changed and what effect this change has.  It is inronic because we are going to be using mutliple technology resources that would have not even been thought of in the classroom 10 years ago but now it is nothing new.

We will watch these as a class so don't feel you need to start watching them individually but here they are for reference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v75QpvISUs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=yFF0oQySsh4&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCB6gUrma2c&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaZgtQRmunA&feature=related

What are you searching?

As a society we are somewhat obsessed with searching the internet for information about any topic under the sun.  Personally as soon as I am questioning something I turn to Google or Yahoo for the answer.  Things such as song lyrics, mathematic conversions, weather, the relationship status of a celeb, etc.  The options are endless.  What are three things you regularly search on the internet? Read the following article from 2010.  How many of the Top 10 have you searched over the past few years?  Which of the Top 10 interests you the most and why?  Which is the least likely for you to search?  What is one thing your regularly search? How do you think our instant searching habbits are changing society?  Do you think the constant and virtually instant access to information allowed by technology is a good or bad thing? Why?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/12/01/yahoo.most.searched.terms/index.html

Remembering Steve Jobs

The past year has been revolutionary for not only the technology world but also the global community in general due to the passing of computer genius Steve Jobs.  We have discussed his contribuions briefly in this class before but due to this event we will take a look deeper into the impact he made on our society.  He was an intricate man whose innovations in computers and technology in general may never be matched.  Read the following few articles then briefly summarize what you think of him and his contributions to society.

http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20117575-37/what-i-learned-from-steve-jobs/

http://www.forbes.com/profile/steve-jobs/

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/8-things-didn-t-know-life-steve-jobs-172130955.html

eBook option? A good or bad one?

As technology continues advancing the rest of the world is forced to keep up or sectors slowly die off.  The book market is no different.  As tablets and laptops become more and more mainstream many publishers are forced to look at ways to enter those markets.  Because of this they provide eBooks and other options for people to essentially view the original textbook in electronic form.  Also, with the dominance of the internet and the offspring of online shopping many people turn to the internet to purchases all their books rather than dealing with the hassel of shopping through endless books at a bookstore.

Read the following article about a problem this is presenting.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/13/technology/apple-doj-ebooks/index.htm

Now here is an article about some of the risks of buying books online.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/04/16/amazon-knock-off-bestsellers/?iid=HP_LN

After reviewing these two articles what are your thoughts about book purchasing in general.  Do you currently use eBooks or is it something you would like to explore?  What are some pros and cons to this market that come to mind?  What are the social implications of this practice?

(at least two paragraphs please!)

The web is buzzing....

One quick look on the CNN Tech homepage and it is very evident what is currently dominating techology news....social networking.  From the sale of Instagram to the growth of Pinterest there is multiple articles creating a vast overview of the good, the bad, and the ugly advances that are happening in technology today.  Pick one article that interests you dealing with social media.  Read the article and post the link in your reply.  Then write a 2 - 4 paragraph response about the topics discussed in the article.  Then write one more paragraph about your thoughs about the topic in general and where you can see it popping up in to society trends.

Here is one I liked....

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/09/tech/mobile/facebook-kill-instagram/index.html

Are you at risk?

Credit card promise security but is this a realistic goal?  Do you have credit cards?  What are your thoughts on electronic forms of payment?  Read the following article and share your thoughts.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/02/technology/global-payments-breach/index.htm?hpt=hp_t1

A new trend...

What do you think of the current trend outlined in this article? Which method do you prefer and why?  In at least one paragraph summarize what you think the SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS are of the trend.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/03/22/technology/streaming-movie-sales/index.htm

Centralization vs Decentralization

Read the following article.  Relate the ideas of centralization versus decentralization to the impact of technology on our society.  Be creative and think outside the box.  There are no right and wrong answers.  Your response must be at least 2 solid paragraphs longs.  Feel free to research some other articles to use in your response but make sure you paste the link at the bottom of your reply. 

http://adamp.com/management/centralization-vs-decentralization/

Aps, aps, aps!

It seems that applications are becoming a part of every thing in society.  We've all heard the phrase "There's an app for that" and it is becoming more and more true with every passing day.  Here is an article about 5 aps that "celebrate laziness!" Not exactly something I think we should CELEBRATE but definitely something that is kind of interesting to think about. Which of the five would you most likely incorperate into your life? How do you think the constant onset of new aps affects our society?  Do you tend to stay up to date on the current aplication advances?  Also, do you have any applications installed on your phone, computer, etc. that you use regularly? Finally, state one app you would like to see created and explain briefly how it would potentially work.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/19/tech/mobile/apps-celebrate-laziness-netiquette/index.html

A new day, a new ap....here is an application that is quickly becoming mainstream.  What do you think?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/11/tech/mobile/instagram-sxsw/index.html

Presentation Review

Which presentation was your favorite and why? Also, what were two interesting things that you learned from the presentations!

Consumer privacy bill of rights...optional but necessary?

Congress recently proposed the following bill however it is not mandatory that all companies comply with the guidelines however it does seem like a good idea.  Read the following article and share your thoughts regarding all the proposed act.  Which component do you think is the most important? Why?

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/22/technology/bill_of_rights_privacy/index.htm

Group Project

Choose a topic related to technology in society.  Create a 5 minute power point about that topic.  Include details such as prominent people, pros and cons to society, how it will affect the future, and anything else you think we would be interested to learn about your topic.  Be creative and professional with your presentation.  You may work in groups of 2 or 3.

Topic approval - 5 points (Post topic to blog today)
Information - 20 points
Presentation - 15 points
Use of class time - 10 points
Total - 50 points

Presentation date: February 29th


*****Post your topic and group members to this blog today.

How to be a millionaire before you turn 25!

Review the following slide show.  What are at least three trends you notice from one millionaire to another?  What business idea interests you the most?  Why?  If someone came up to you and offered you a million dollars to tell them your best entrepreneur idea what would your idea be?  Why?

http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/slideshows/slideshow_pop.html?nm=YoungMillionaires

Have a great long weekend! :)

Ethical iPhone protest, will you take part?

There is a movement to ensure all factory workers involved in making iPhones are treated fairly.  We often hear the stereotypical horror stories of factory line conditions however these often have more truth behind them than we expect.  Read the following article about the reccent protests.  What do you think about the protest? Discuss the ethical implications of this manufacturing situation.  What are your thoughts about technology manufacturing in general?

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/09/technology/apple_foxconn_petition/index.htm


Also, no class on Wednesday but there will be a blog post that day.  Make sure you do it!!!

Outside the "technology" box...

When the word "technology" comes up we tend to instantly think of computers, hackers, or anything that starts with "i" however technology encompasses a much wider array of topics.  Today we are going to look at how technology effects transportation.  Click on the link and take the quick quiz :) What do you think was the most worthwhile invention? Why? After you have completed this search the internet for another innovative transportation technology advancement that you find intriguing.  Paste the link in your response and write a brief description of the new technology.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/18/tech/innovation/transport-firsts-quiz/index.html

Super tech super bowl

Did you watch the Super Bowl yesterday?  Did you notice all the technology that is used to make the game the "ultimate experience"?  What did you notice and how has this changed over the last few years?  Also, what would a Super Bowl be without the ads.  Which one was your favorite?  In case you missed them here is a link to a few of the top ones.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/buzziest-super-bowl-ads-2012-040450380.html


Read the following article about some of the high tech tools integrated into the Super Bowl presentation.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/03/tech/gaming-gadgets/super-bowl-tech/index.html


What do you think about these advances?  Do you enjoy the things they add to the experience?  What is your favorite technology related aspect of the Super Bowl and why?

Solar power, have you ever considered it?

"Solar Power" is a term most people recognize but few people fully understand the market behind the term.  Recently many of the manufacturers of products to generate solar power have saw a steep decline in business and as a result are facing bankrupcy.  The following article will discuss some of the factors leading to this decline.  Have you ever considered how intricate the energy field is?  What do you think the declining solar power market will mean for the economy and the US in general? What do you think a difference maker would be in the situation?

http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/30/technology/solar_power/index.htm

More Facebook, more self-esteem?

Read the article.  Do you think what the researches found is generally true? Why or why not?  How many hours a week do you spend on Facebook or other similar networking sites? Do you feel that these hours benifit your self-esteem? Do you often feel better abou yourself after you've read something nice someone wrote on your wall or relived a fun moment in pictures? Share your thoughts.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/03/01/facebook.self.esteem/index.html?iref=NS1

Cracking the code

The following article focuses on encryption and what is involved.  First of all, what do you know about encryption and what comes to mind when you hear the word "encryption"?  Also, read the article and share your opinions.  Do you think Fricosu should be forced to provide an unecrypted hard drive to prosectors? What further legal implications do you see this ruling having?


http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/24/tech/web/judge-defendant-decrypt-laptop/index.html

iPad apps the new standard textbook?

After watching the video and reading the following articles what are you initial thoughts about the transition Apple is proposing to move away from standard 10 pound textbooks to iBooks that can be read, stored, and used like a normal textbook however incorperate the convienience of the iPad.  How do you think this evolution would affect not only the classroom setting but also society in general?  Also, are you in favor of the proposed idea?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/19/tech/mobile/apple-ibooks-2/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/19/tech/mobile/apple-ibooks-2/index.html

Wikipedia Black Out

Wikipedia is currently taking part in a 24-hour black out to protest the proposed anit-piracy laws that are being considered by the Senate.  Try visiting http://www.wikipedia.com/ what do you find? Read this notice as well as the interview narticle on CNN pertaining to this topic and summarize what you understand about this topic.  There is no right answer so just share your thoughts! Also, which side do you support?  Do you regularly use Wikipedia?  What are you thoughts on anti-privacy laws in general?  Finally, what do you think a protest like this does to our society and what do you think the long term effects of this way of thinking will be to our society?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/17/tech/web/wikipedia-sopa-blackout-qa/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

The first post! :)

Welcome to Social Implications of Technology the Spring 2012 edition.  Find a news article that interests you.  If you're having trouble thinking of where to start feel free to google a topic that interests you or stop by cnn.com, yahoo.com, or any other news outlet that crosses your mind! Copy and paste the link to the article you found as a reply to this blog.  Also, have you ever blogged before and what do you think of blogging? Welcome to our class, hope you have a great semester!