Quarantine Tech

Quarantine Tech

We're all #SafeAtHome - spending a LOT of time within 4 walls. Sometimes it feels like a prison, right? It's a tough time. 

What is there to DO?  How do we connect? Keep ourselves INFORMED, ENTERTAINED...?

LOTS of businesses are in rough shape since they have no customers. But SOME technology companies will benefit during these times, because of the situation. They provide goods and services that are in higher demand because of people's unique needs right now. I just heard the stock report for a couple of these companies, and their profits are very good.

What technology-related companies do you think are doing well right now? Think of the products they offer - not just "tangible" products (like cars, food, and bird feeders) but software, or social sites, or......etc.

Give me some examples of these products or services that are very popular because they're needed during these times. I'm sure you're using at least one of them!

Bill Gates: "No cell phone 'till you're 14!"

Bill Gates: "No cell phone 'till you're 14!"

What is the earliest age that a child should have a cell phone? Parents wonder what the right answer to this question is - at what age did YOU get your first cell phone?

Well, Bill Gates chimed in on the subject during a recent interview - he says that his children didn't get one until they were 14. Click HERE for an article on the subject.

Take a look at the "...list of questions parents should answer before giving their child their first phone" at the bottom of the article.

Watch this 60 Minutes story in class about how cell phone apps "hack our brains".

HERE is an article about proposed legislation to ban 'pay to win' features in games, such as loot boxes.

What should a student due to make sure that they don't "overuse" or become addicted to their phone or "screen". Do you think you've become addicted to your phone?  What IS the earliest age that you think a child should have a cell phone?

Knowing the risks, what types of things would you want to talk to a child about, like a younger brother or sister, before they are given the responsibility of having a cell phone?

What To Do About Misinformation...?

What To Do About Misinformation...?

Social Media Is a Huge source of information - not all of it is GOOD information. Urban legends, myths, conspiracy theories and other types of false information are everywhere, and it can be difficult to determine what is really true. It's bad enough if this type of information would affect or even harm us individually, but we know that it can also affect us on a global scale, such as spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 virus.

Obviously, we have to learn how to identify information that might be biased or untrue - but what about those sources that host the information, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube? What responsibilities do they have?

Watch the 60 Minutes video linked below It talks about YouTube and its policies regarding invalid or harmful information. What do you think? Should entities like YouTube, Facebook, etc. be responsible for blocking or identifying misinformation, or should it be the responsibility of the viewer to educate themselves about how to spot "fake news"?

(If you have trouble getting to this link, I've also attached the video to this blog assignment in Google Classroom.)

60 Minutes Video: "Is YouTube Doing Enough..."

The Skills Gap

The Skills Gap

After watching the 60 Minutes report, (link below), discuss the following in your post, and posted conversations during the week:

Despite the fact that the U.S. has a very high unemployment rate, there are some career areas where there are thousands of jobs available that can't be filled.  Why is this?

What can be done - who, according to the video, should have a greater role in this? Who do YOU think should handle the training - or the cost of the training?

As you've thought about what career path you might follow, have you considered the schooling or training that's required?

Be sure to discuss all of these questions, at least in your first post.

60 Minutes: "The Skills Gap"

March Of The Machines

March Of The Machines

Technology is making our lives simpler, and helping Industry to be more efficient, but is it at the cost of our jobs?

Everyone thinks about "what they want to be when they grow up". Do you have to take another look at what you've planned, or start thinking of a new career, because of advances in technology? If you think about it, it's a good thing that we've rolled out the ACP program, because it's important to be aware of what your talents, skill, and abilities are, and how they align with what's waiting out there in the world.

What is the job market going to look like when you look for that first job?

Discuss this idea. I've just given you a couple of questions to get the thought process going.

60 Minutes: "March of the Machines"

IoT: The Internet of Things

IoT: The Internet of Things

- The screen on your refrigerator tells you that your blood sugar is running low, so you grab some fruit. 

- While flying to your vacation destination, you realize that you forgot to turn the thermostat down at home, so you do it from your smartphone.

- Your car is about due for an oil change (using that fancy synthetic oil you like), and your mechanic is ready for you because he monitors your engine, as well as his supply of synthetics.

This might sound like the future, or maybe you've heard of one of these things already happening - both are true. They're examples of what things might be like with the "Internet of Things".

In the IoT, EVERYTHING is connected via the internet (cloud): cars, appliances, planes, security, hospitals, animals and.....yes, you. The idea is that everything will communicate, and, in the end, this communication will help us to lead better lives.

"The Internet of Things is the next generation of personal computing, whereby objects interact, potentially independently, with each other and with their environment,”

"The Internet of Things is the combination of sensors, actuators, distributed computing power..."

"Tiny detectors that can gather and relay data about location, activity, and health...", "The IoT makes it possible to monitor and control the location, condition, and behavior of objects, machinery, and devices through networks."

Here are some resources to look at that will help you understand the IoT. Take a look at them, and talk about what you think about the idea. Pros and cons.

Diagram: What kind of things are/will be connected?

We Need To Get The IoT Right

A Hacker's-eye View of the Internet of Things

The Making of An Online Celebrity

The Making of an Online Celebrity

There has NEVER been a time in the history of the planet when people had the ability to become instant "celebrities" (or "influencers") as you can today. Think about it: Philip DeFranco, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber - a person can be "discovered" instantly, just by posting a video - even a SEVEN SECOND video.

Read this article from 2015 about a Vine "celebrity", named Jerome Jarre. Take a look at the videos that are linked in the article also:

"Jerome Jarre: The Making of a Vine Celebrity"

Not only has this guy become famous in an instant, but it also looks like he's not just a "flash in the pan" because it seems as though he understands how to use social media apps to promote himself and other things around him. [Update: He and everyone else IS a "flash in the pan" as far as Vine is concerned - since they pulled the plug on Vine!]

Had you heard of Jerome before reading the article? What do you think of what he's done on Vine?  What do you think about this kind of opportunity with mobile apps, such as Snapchat? Can anybody do it? Will such fame last, and is it something that can be made into a legitimate business?


HERE is his YouTube channel.