Activity screenshot #3

Most and Least Favorite Technologies

Final.

One of my least favorite technologies that we discussed in the class is Google Glass.  In researching this technology for the course, I found, much like another link that I posted for this course, that the technology was not fully developed and that it failed to succeed in the ways that it had projected.  I also find that the technology is not entirely user-friendly, and I was almost confused as to what it was when I first researched the technology.  The website is attractive, but does appear as if it is to appeal more to the working professional than the average individual; however, an increasing number of “average” people are becoming “professionals,” but do not have the training necessary to understand this type of detailed technology.  Thus, this is one of my less favorite technologies that we discussed.

My favorite technology that we discussed was actually CONQUERx.  This technology reminded me of a technology called Theranos, which was covered in a podcast that I listened to not that long ago.  Theranos promised that with one drop of blood, thousands of medical tests would be able to be performed instantly, and that this technology would change the medical profession forever.  Certainly, had it worked, its founder would have been correct; however, the founder appeared to have actually been a fraud, and it was not the technology that it promised to be.  CONQUERx does appear somewhat similar but more realistic, and for this reason, it is one of the technologies that we discussed that interested me the most.

Whiteboard Screenshot 1

Final

Reddit final.

Note: my post has been removed, and this is the second post in a row to be removed. I am unsure why they keep being removed, but I feel as if this removal is due to the new nature of my Reddit account.  I cannot continue to attempt posting these posts, as it prevents me from commenting on other classmates’ posts.  Hopefully this post here satisfies that requirement!

Mashups

One of the mashups that we did not cover in the course is Trendsmap.  I find that this technology is similar to that of the SnapMap on SnapChat, where users can see what areas are the most popular according to the SnapChats that are sent across the platform.  This Trendsmap is similar, but instead relates to Twitter trends and trending hashtags.  This is not a technology that is useful entirely to me (as I do not often use Twitter), but I think that this is a beneficial technology to see where certain events might be happening.  This might be true of current events or dangerous events, so this mashup is beneficial to some!

Activity Screenshot #2

Activity screenshot #2

Upvoted Reddit Posts

Reddit final.

I have upvoted Reddit posts for: Casey, Luke, Jack, William, and Patrick (I think I linked correctly!).

I found each of these links both entertaining and informative, and I even appreciated the link that discussed the future of the NHL with regard to COVID-19, as I find that my mother is actually OBSESSED with the NHL and has been (im)patiently waiting for these updates!

My post is listed below, and will be posted once I can complete more activities!:

Reddit Upvotes and Downvotes

Reddit final.

Many of the posts that I upvoted I found to be attractive, “beautiful,” or otherwise interesting or entertaining.  Those that I downvoted I found to be some form of instigation, not entertaining, a post that had content with which I disagreed or found irritating (such as the fact that “antimicrobial soap” was denounced by some) or reflective of a poor situation (such as the consideration of healthcare workers as superheroes, which is unfortunate and demanding of those workers without considering their likely fears).

Upvoted: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Downvoted: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Phone Apps and Tumblr

One of the apps that I use the most on my phone is actually Tumblr.  I find that this is an app that provides nearly-endless entertainment, and I find that I can tailor my experience to exactly what I want it to be, whether it is informative or mindless.  I use this app multiple times per day, as I find that it provides entertainment during times of boredom.  This app hasn’t necessarily changed my life permanently other than providing this type of entertainment.  The only thing that would likely stop me from using this app is the lack of support from Tumblr itself.

A second app that I use almost every day is called Sleep Cycle.  This app tracks my sleep rhythm and wakes me up during a time in which I am in my lightest sleep.  After installing this app, I find that I am less tired when I wake up every day than before I had installed the app and simply relied upon my alarm clock to wake me up.  I would stop using this app if I found that it did not wake me up during one of these periods but instead seemed to follow some unhelpful pattern.

A third app that I use the most on my phone is LoseIt.  I use this app to track what I eat and how many calories are consumed each day.  This app has changed my life in that it makes me more aware of what I eat and I can stop eating unnecessary calories.  I might predict that I stop using this app when I become bored of tracking these calories and find that it is tedious rather than helpful.  I might also stop using it if I begin to build good habits and no longer need the application.

Tweetdeck

One of the Twitter tools that I find to be the most useful or helpful is Tweetdeck.  This resource allows me to view multiple timelines at the same time, which is beneficial if I am trying to view the progression of something that has been “trending,” or the development of any other kinds of events.  This might be useful for individuals such as journalists, who may need to review various developments at the same time, either during live reporting or during some kind of review of an event that the journalist is reporting on after the event has occurred and other resources are being analyzed.  I use it in a similar way, but only for personal use.

I would recommend this tool to friends who have a use for this type of technology, but I would probably not recommend it to the average (or below-average) Twitter user.

BC Woods College Retweets

Wikipedia Edit: Keyboard layout

Activity screenshot #1

Wikipedia

Compression gloves linked here.

Wikipedia new

Live mic

An Analysis of Technologies

The five technologies that I will focus upon in this homework assignment are: Kickstarter, Deviant Art, Google Glass, Vero, and Discord.  Each of these technologies is linked to a news article that deals with those technologies themselves.

The Kickstarter news article reveals that there is a new “tactical board game” that has been promoted on Kickstarter, and the article also involves a discussion of what the game entails.  In this way, this news article focuses not just upon the technology, but the type of ways in which there can be benefits from the use of that technology -- such as the creation of a board game that may be enjoyed by many.  In this way, then, there are benefits for the technology.  The Deviant Art news article also reveals that there are some benefits to the use of these types of technologies, indicated by the growth in popularity of one group of celebrated creators; without the use of the platform, it is implied that this type of appreciation may never have grown.  In this way, as well, therefore, the news article shows how this type of technology can benefit both the creators and the fans of the type of content that is revealed on this platform.

Two technologies and “platforms” that were discussed - Discord and Vero - are discussed in their linked articles in relation to the potential ways in which they can benefit their users.  In these manners, the articles are discussing the potential benefits or detriments of these technologies, which indicates to readers that they are not yet at their “peak” and that they still have the potential to be developed even further.  Thus, these two technologies are indicative of the ways in which the future of these kinds of development are always uncertain.

The final technology, Google Glass, is linked to an article that examines where it is, why it is not as popular as it was once projected to potentially become, and what the reasons for that absence may be.  This article, therefore, reveals the ways in which technologies can fail to live up to their potential.

With each of these articles, it becomes clear that there are different outcomes that may emerge in relation to these new technologies, supporting the concept that was discussed in our course that examines why and how technologies can develop, succeed, and fail.

New Technologies

One of the new technologies that I can imagine emerging in the future is one that attempts to estimate traffic, the time a driver may be in traffic, and alternate routes to avoid that traffic.  I am indeed aware that this sounds like some of the functions that currently exist on GPS apps, but I do think that there is a difference between my proposed application/future technology and that which currently exists.  For example, present technology only allows for the determination of traffic based upon the route that is going to be taken when it is placed into the GPS app.  In addition, some apps do attempt to determine the traffic that may exist in a specific location along that route based upon patterns that exist in relation to that specific route.  In these instances, then, it is clear that the determination of traffic or alternate routes exists only in relation to those specific and pre-planned routes.

In my proposed technology, there would be methods of determining what routes can be taken or what activities should be completed based upon real-time reports of traffic.  In other GPS technologies, these reports are based upon the self-reported data of other users of the apps.  In my new technology, traffic rates and times could be calculated based upon live satellite images, or even the use of other new (and hypothetical) technologies that may record the number of cars that are passing through a specific point over a given amount of time.  This information can be transmitted to the application to report live traffic data.  Furthermore, this information can be used by the app to report to the user what activities can be efficiently performed on those dates.  The users could, for example, input a list of activities that the individual needs to perform in a given period, along with their locations, and the app could calculate how the individual can most efficiently utilize their time.  For example, the app may send an alert that the best time to go grocery shopping would be in fifteen minutes from the time of the alert, as there will be minimal traffic, and the individual will maximize their free time.

This type of technology aims to make better the lives of the individuals who utilize the app, as their free time will increase.  This benefits their qualities of life.  A potential name for this application is: TimeSavr