Computer Applications II Wrap-Up

  

The Digital Divide

The final project for this class opened my eyes up to a universal problem that the entire world is experiencing. The Digital Divide. There is a distinct and serious divide between people that sufficiently know how to operate computers, miscellaneous electronics, and other digital media in this day and age. There is a shockingly high percentage of people across the world that are have little or no resources that connect them to the digital world. This project allowed me to focus on the socio-economic factors that conclusively contributes the biggest deficit in the digital divide. Many people are held back due to lack of money, community resources, training, and in some extreme cases, electricity. From this project, I have grasped a better understanding of the problem the world faces today. I have developed my own personal perspective on how to effectively solve the digital divide in certain circumstances. There are some other problems that are related to the digital divide that must be addressed before a solution can be reached. Such as, countries maintaining a safe and productive government, and governments providing sufficient resources such as HOMES and ELECTRICITY. After these issues are addressed, then the movement to close the digital divide in predominately 3rd world countries can progress, along with the other levels of the digital divide. 

1. Grasping the concept of the digital divide and being able understand how my community relates to the gap that exist today. I can take my basic understanding of the digital divide and when I enter college, I can start my own independent study to help find better solutions and plans to the bridge the gap. 

2. Exploring the expansion of the social networking world and the impact that it is creating on the modern world. Social Networking is a major development in the 21st century and in the coming years may be a large part of our everyday lives. Having the opportunity to explore and study the movement gives me a great leg up on the rest of the world. 

3. The exploration of the Wikipedia topic was one of the most interesting points in the course. Wikipedia is one of the most controversial topics that come up in between students and teachers today. This class allowed me to sharpen my Wiki researching skills. 

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2iMTuYdlBw

Userful MultiSeat Linux 2011™

 

Userful MultiSeat Linux 2011™ is computer software that allows users to share one desktop CPU with multiple users and still have the ability to take full advantage of the computers capabilities. The computers are helping bridge the digital divide gap that exists today in our world.  These computers are deployed and are used in rural and urban areas where there are limited resources and even more limited funds for computers and other technological and educational tools.  The Userful MultiSeat Linux 2011™ computers can help close the gap in the digital divide because they are low in cost all around the board, so the computer cuts the excuses for lack of funds to purchase the computers. The computers are being currently used in India, Brazil, and Canada in schools to help educate students, and help build useful and effective computer skills for the future. Being that the Userful MultiSeat Linux 2011™ computer can host multiple users, the computer can operate flawlessly without a problem. The computer offers the same quality of graphics that any other single user desktop can offer someone at the same performance level. This computer is a revolution and extreme help to the growing digital divide that is increasingly growing around the world. This computer allows the underprivileged to have access to the same resources that anyone has around the world.  I predict that the Userful MultiSeat Linux 2011™ computer will be circulating and in use around the world in the year or two. The capabilities that the system offers cannot be matched and still are able to offer all that the Userful MultiSeat Linux 2011™ can! I also believe that Apple and Microsoft will begin to invest in the technology very soon, if not already developing software like such!

8 Year Old Boy Kills Himself With an Micro Uzi

 It has come to the point in today's society that men take their 8 year old sons to gun shows and allow their children to shoot guns, and inevitably kill themselves in the outcome. A man in Boston, Massachusetts is going to court to sue the owner of the gun show for the death of his son. What has happened to common sense? Has it come to the point were people are seriously blaming others for their negligence. A man voluntarily attends a gun show with his 8 year old son and allows him to operate a machine gun that he perceived to be small enough for the child to operate, and the child, not surprisingly, isn't able to handle the weapon and shoots himself in the head. One would think that the father would have the common sense to take up for the responsibility of putting the gun in his sons hands and taking the fall for his child's death. But obviously, the father does not have the integrity to face the wrongs that he is responsible for as a man. The justice system in the US has always interested me in the cases that they bring to the high courts and try. It seems as time moves on the cases get more and more ridiculous and outrageous. From my perspective, America is going down the wrong road towards justice. Something has to been done soon!  Or else! 

J. Cole: The Coming of The Future

Straight from Fayetteville, North Carolina, Jermaine Cole is the coming of the new generation of the Hip-Hop game. With the recent release of is long awaited mix-tape: Friday Night Lights, J. Cole has opened the eyes up of many of the top rappers in the game. Signed under Roc-Nation; Cole is seen as the next holder of the throne as the best behind Jay-Z. Sort of a protegee J.Cole is to Jay-Z. Many people dismiss this statement because of the relationship that Kanye West has with H.O.V., but many fail t understand that West cannot follow in the footsteps of Jay-Z. Kanye West has already surpassed the level that Jay-Z set has set in the industry. Kanye surpasses so many rappers in so many categories, that he sets himself apart from any of the rappers in the industry today. J. Cole on the other hand, does not posses the creative and artistic abilities that Kanye has and brings to his music. But he does have some of the same capabilities in the creation of his own music. Cole produces the majority of his tracks like Kanye, and still at the same tie possess the complex lyrical game that many rappers cannot bring to the table. J. Cole fits perfectly in the shoes of Jay-Z he has sort of the same style in his work, his lyrical content is just as sophisticated as Jay-Z and his complexity in his delivery is almost unmatched. J. Cole is someone that can be seen at the top of the rap game in the next 2-3 years. Possibly on top of things running to be the best once H.O.V steps down. 

DC: Hotspot for Restaurants

For reasons unknown to myself and me being a native Washingtonian; DC is slowly becoming a hotspot for restaurants in the Eastern Market and Capitol Hill neighborhoods inside of the city. Their has been a very large influx in the number of food businesses that has opened in the District in the last few years. Capitol Hill is increasingly becoming a more residential neighborhood as congress continues to grow and flourish in the District. It may be due to the gentrification that the city is undergoing or just a random influx in restaurant entrepreneurs in the area. Many of the restaurant owners are famous and well established Chef's that have partnerships and owned restaurant franchises. The businesses have been flourishing the few past years down on the Hill. People in the neighborhoods are attracted to the family friendly businesses and many of the prestigious owners specifically tailored their businesses to their liking and not to their competitors standards. Unfortunately, many of these businesses are not located in predominately minority neighborhoods, therefore depriving certain classes of people in the district from the experience. Tisk, tisk! 

Mixtapes

Mixtapes have been apart of the music culture for as long as I can remember. They have become a norm in the Hip-Hop industry since the beginning of Hip-Hop. These past few years have been some of the best years that Mix-tapes have hit the market and actually made a statement in the music game. It has been a few years since the declaration by historic lyricists NaS that "Hip-Hop is Dead". 


Wale as been one of the more contributing artist to the rebuttal of the statement that "Hip-Hop is Dead". With his release of his two mix-tapes, The Mixtape About Nothing and More About Nothing. These two tapes were proof to the Hip-Hop world that is Hip-Hop isn't dead, but has just been awaiting the arrival of fresh new breed artists'. J. Cole's release of his highly anticipated mixtape Friday Night Lights, came to no surprise for his following and the hundreds of thousands of fans that he gained with the classic tape. Other artists' such as Big Sean and Cyhi The Prince have also hit the mixtape circuit pretty hard with their latest releases and persistent work with other artists, such as Kanye West. 


Outside of the mixtape world, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj's albums have dropped within the last week and have SOARED to the top of the charts, with Kanye's album going platinum in the first week! 

Apple iPad Review

Apple iPad

The new Apple iPad is the new technological sensation of the year 2010! The iPad is in a total category of it's own. There is no multi-media device that exists on the market today that can match or even compare to the iPad. No device combines a e-reader, mobile photo frame, the untouched Apple app-store, ultra iPod, Netbook, 3G wireless capabilities, plus more. According to CNET editor's review, the iPad is a touch screen tablet computer. The iPad comes in three models a 16G for $499, 32G for $599, and a 64G for $729; all that run on a combination of Wi-Fi and 3G wireless networks. The iPad can be personally customized for the user. Whether someone uses the iPad for business, leisure/entertainment, or health purposes, the iPad gets the job done. 

The iPad has many positive aspects such as its 9.7-inch capacitive touch screen with IPS technology exceptional viewing angles, which also gives users . The long lasting battery that can last up to 10 hours of continuous use. The iPad also offers a program for the visually impaired that has translations in over 21 languages. And a cool option of connecting a full keyboard to the device through the standard Apple 30-pin port. On the other hand the iPad does not have the full HD capabilities that one wold expect from such a technologically advanced gadget. The iPad also only offers its 3G service through AT&T's network, which can propose a very inconvenient obstacle to non-AT&T customers. 

I like to think of myself as a savvy technologically advanced consumer of multimedia and electronica devices. In my personal use of the iPad, I thought the device handled pretty well. The iPad still has the familiarity as the IPhone and the iPod touch. There isn't anything new about the iPad that a experienced Apple consumer wouldn't ready be familiar with. The iPad does have a very large screen that brings a beautiful enhanced graphics, but could pose a obstacle or challenge for the person "on-the-go". One wouldn't want to pull the 9.7-inch screen out in a public setting that would pose a danger to the safety of the device and it's owner. The iPad overall is a "awesomely sweet" device that I would recommend to anyone that lives there life in the fast-lane and on-the-go, and could take full advantage of the portability and performance of the device. I give the Apple iPad 5 stars! 

-K. M. Miles