Google Wave

Succinct low-down of Google's Wave from Mashable.com

Plus, the video of Wave's unveiling and demo

TV Tensions from Eye Glances

Virginia Heffernan, in the New York Times magazine, analyzes how film-makers treat the everyday prevalance of waking time spent at a computer (at least in some social milieux and economic brackets). Her analysis of 24 is particularly good. She notes:

"Clusters of characters on “24” regularly participate in speakerphone calls, for example. In these scenes, they confront not other faces during heated exchanges, but phones and devices. These encounters with talking technology — showdowns between man and machine — would come off like sci-fi if experiences like conference calls weren’t now part of the standard office routine. When consequential words come from far off into a room of you and your colleagues, do you look at the phone, the middle distance, others in the room with you? This is a director’s call, and the choices in “24” make high drama of the minor eye movements and hand movements of digital experience."

More....

Facebook Lawsuit

Facebook has a 5,000-friend limit that is preventing people from further personalizing their page. Therefore, new changes will be made so that people will be able to categorize their friend list into categories such as, "family," "close friends", "coworkers" etc. It will also be easier to post videos, photos, and links to Facebook pages. A teenage girl from New York sued Facebook and some of its users due to the fact that she was made fun of and disrespected through a chat on Facebook. However, social networks, so far, have been protected by the Communication's Decency Act.

http://www.netfamilynews.org/2009_03_01_archive.html

Teen's Suicide Over Sexting

An 18-year old girl, Jessie Logan, sent nude pictures of herself to her boyfriend. After they broke up, he sent the pictures of her to other girls that attended their high school. Those girls began harrasing her by calling her names like "slut" and "whore." This made Jessie very depressed and caused her to skip school a lot. She eventually committed suicide as her way of solving the problem. Her mother never even knew the extent of the problem until it was too late. This story shows us how important it is to make sure that parents are involved and aware of their children's social life, including the phone and internet portion.

http://www.netfamilynews.org/2009_03_01_archive.html

iPhone and iTouch Apps- Not so innocent after all

Recently located within Apple's Application store, a program located within the iPhone and iTouch, there is an application for download called Baby Shaker in which the user can shake their device and "kill" a picture of a baby boy or girl. The death is noted by distinct red "X's" which appear over the child's eyes after he/she is terminated.

It has recently been deleted due to its controversy and link to child abuse; misconduct.



http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/22/feel-like-shaking-a-baby-to-death-theres-an-app-for-that/

GigaMedia Limited: An Overseas Gaming Giant?

Interesting article regarding Asian online gaming Giant GigaMedia Limited. The discussion of this stock relates to the informative presentation that we heard regarding WOW or World Of Warcraft. One of the facts presented in the article is the fact that "Asian game revenues were expected to grow 30% sequentially in the first quarter." The article discusses the huge profits made by online gaming companies.

http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/commentary/content/gigamedia+limited+gigm+flop+or+royal+flush/dailycontrarian.aspx?newsid=92571#92571

Peer Teaching - Adobe Photoshop

Good Photoshop CS3 Toolbox Reference Guide:

http://www.tutorialkit.com/tutorials/Photoshop-CS3-Toolbox-Quick-Reference-64369.html


Adobe Website that offers 30-Day Trial Downloads of its products:

http://www.adobe.com/downloads/