Tech Discussion 2/28/14: Speed Detecting Brake Light

 

Revolights is a bicycle lighting system that makes front wheel lights that act as headlights and rear wheel lights that act as tail lights. Due to the expenses of the full lights, its designers have come out with the Revolights Arc, which combines a tail light and wheel-speed activated brake light. When cruising, the two LED light pipes can flash on and off or shine steadily. The speed sensor on the back of the device can detect when the rear wheel slows down, which then causes it to become a brake light. The light gets brighter as the rider slows down even more. The Arc is run by a lithium battery and can be changed by a computer's USB port.

Educational Technology and Copyright Law

The article Educational Technology and Copyright Law discusses the basic ideas and rules of copyright. This article was very informative and interesting. Just because something may be copyrighted, does not always necessarily mean that you cannot use it. For example, if a teacher wishes to show a copyrighted image to his or her class, the teacher can go about doing so. This is not illegal and is great for educational purposes. If you create your own work, it is copyrighted, but it is a different story if it is licensed. Others are able to use your image if it is only copyrighted, but if it is licensed, they cannot. If something is not licensed, it is subject to fair use. Not every image out there can be used, but not that many images are off limits.

Tech Discussion 2/21/14: New S-512 Supersonic Jet Screens

 

 

The new S-512 Supersonic Jet has replaced its windows with video screens. The video screens are embedded in the interior walls. The parts needed for typical airplane windows add weight to the plane, making it travel slower. This plane is expected to be the first supersonic business jet. It will allow its passengers to fly from New York to London in about 3-4 hours, rather than the ordinary 6-7 hours. It was also take about 8 hours rather than 14-16 hours to fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo. This jet will use video cameras to project real panoramic videos on the screens. The passengers will be able to dim the screens and also select different content to play on the screens. This jet, in its full, is expected to come out in the year of 2018. 

Tech Discussion 2/14/14: Dash Smart Earbuds

 

The Dash Earbuds use Bluetooth to connect to a smartphone and have no wires that need to connect to them, making it easy for people such as runners to use them. There is also 4GB of data on the earphones, allowing music to be put directly on them. The earbuds are compatible with an app that can be downloaded on a smartphone. They have a noise cancelation feature that can be turned on and off. Also, they can be used for talking on the phone. A very unique feature of these earphones is that they can be used for fitness purposes. It can track conditions such as heart rate, body temperature, and calories burned. The Dash Earbuds can also track steps, time, rotation, and turns. If GPS is added through a smartphone, it can also detect the distance traveled, speed, and altitude. Not only are these wireless earphones useful for playing music, they also are very helpful when it comes to working out.

     The class I have chose to write about is Precalculus Honors with Mr. Ben-Nun. From the beginning of the year up to now, I have learned a lot in this class. My expectations at the beginning of the year were to use Algebra II and some geometry as a basis for Calculus or AP Calculus next year and this is what we are doing. We have reviewed material from last year and have used that material to learn new subject matters.

     Technology plays a big role in my Precalculus class. We must use our computers at home every week to complete three Think Through Math lessons on lms.thinkthroughmath.com and lessons that Mr. Ben-Nun has recommended on https://www.khanacademy.org/. Not only are there lessons on Khan Academy, there are also videos that can teach a lesson you may not be familiar with. The lessons on both of these websites typically have to do with what we have went over in class that week. Also, some topics could be helpful with the HSPA. I enjoy these two aspects about the class. Think Through Math and Khan Academy are two uses of technology in Precalculus. Here is an example of a Khan Academy video:

     In conclusion, I have learned a lot in Precalculus Honors so far this year with Mr. Ben-Nun and I expect to learn much more throughout the duration of the year. Technology is a big factor in our class and I like that about the class. Think Through Math and Khan Academy are both very helpful websites for the class. They help everyone improve on the topics we work on in class. Technology is a very prominent and useful feature of my Precalculus class and helps us all to learn and improve on our skills.

Tech Discussion 2/7/14: App for Indoor Navigation

A new app called Shopcloud is in the process of coming out for the use of indoor navigation that is compatible with smartphones. This app uses the phone's standard sensors, rather than Wi-Fi signals and is accurate up to a distance down to one meter. The phone must begin by accessing a floor plan of the building and gaining an Internet signal, but after the user downloads the information for the app, the Internet is not needed. The phone uses its camera in order to spot locations and keep track of the current location. Company co-founder Michael Bar Zeev stated, "We thought about how humans naturally navigate, and tried to imitate that." Currently, the app will work with models of the iPhone that are the 4s and up and Android phones. A version for Windows phones is being worked on. About 200 locations in the United States are already being mapped for the official release of the app in a couple of months. The app should be free for users as well as the locations.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog. I enjoy hanging out with my friends and family, playing tennis, and everything about the summer. I love music and going to concerts and shows with my friends. My family and friends are very important to me. I love spending time with both my friends and my family. I always have fun when I am with them. Some of the classes I am taking this year include web 2.0, history, precalculus, physics, Spanish IV, English, and a college class at Felician College. My grades are very important to me and I am always focusing on them. This is just a little bit about me. Thank you for checking out my blog!