The Blackberry

Ok, so finally caved in and bought a Blackberry. I resisted for as long as I could, but digital diluge got the best of me! I had been a devoted Palm user for many years, having gone through several palms, my last being a LIfedrive. My poor Lifedrive, and I really liked it too. It could play my music, load my pictures, had documents to go (important for me), and I could go on line with its wireless feature. Then it died. In less than a year. I think it was just a melon anyway! My supplier hates the Palm, so he was more than happy to replace it with the Blackberry.

Then I had a hard time deciding which Blackberry to get. The Curve, The Pearl, and the numbered ones... 8800, 8830, etfc.... Finally, I got advice for another who does a lot of the same organizing I do and this is how I decided (the final push) which Blackberry I would get. The World!

And now, as I've evolved in the digital era complete with a Blackberry. Now I can receive my work emails all day and all evening long, I can respond immediately, I can be on MSN, Facebook, of course I can still receive phone calls and text messaging. Haha, I find this all too amusing! How quickly I have changed to only usng the comptuer for work purposes to being on the computer all the day, getting home and slapping my laptop on the table (my husband whas just complainging this evening that we no longer had a table!)and checking what is going on.

Ahhh... the laptop, the Blackberry, what have I become!!!!

Blogging

Blogging began sometime around 1994 as sometimes nutty, sometimes inspired writings of on-line dairies. Among the many blogs there are really interesting ones such as news blogs, commentary blogs on a whole slew of topics, parenting, technology, and any topic your mind can conceive.

Recently, it has become increasingly competitive where professional bloggers are under extreme pressure to be the first to report on, for example a blog on technology, the newest and more latest gadget. News and Commentary Blogs are just as competitive. One recent report I read on a blog no less, reported on a bloggger who blogged to death. There was no real conclusive medical evidence but it appears because of the extreme stress he was under caused him to have a heart attack (or maybe his poor diet, sedetary lifestyle, lack of sleep, etc....). In his same article, another Blogger blogs constantly and requires very little sleep. When his editor doesn't receive a post from him in a few hours, he figures he's fallen asleep at the computer (from sheer exhaustion!)

Another reason for bloggings intensity is of course, money. Bloggers are paid in various ways, such as how many times they are read and perhaps how many blogs they write. This definitely increases the pressure for Bloggers to be interesting, imaginative, informative all in the effort to capture the reader.

Unbelieveable! But harder to believe is that Me, who rarely went surfing the net, used the computer for work purposes the majority of the time, rarely chatted is now constantly on-line... which I will tell you more about in the next blog!

Here's two blogs I thought were interesting:

http://teliaq.squarespace.com/


http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.05/mustread.html?pg=2

Web 2.0

Very interesting! I've never spent so much time on the internet as I have now, since researching various sites and figuring out what all this Web 2.0 is about. I was just amazed as I clicked here and clicked there and came upon information.

Indeed I am finding out what all the fuss is about. First it started with Facebook. I kind of sort of reluctantly joined. Even more reluctantly invited friends, they invited me and still I was unsure about certain applications. The more I used it, the more I found I liked it. I could connect with Friends, old and new! I could keep up-to-date with friends and family and know what is going around me in my community.

Other tools I discovered were: Flickr ( I posted my new car!); Blogging; wikispaces; avitars, etc. Yes, it's been very interesting and I'm looking forward to more searching and learning.

What are the two types of business threats? Give an example of each.

1. Surveillance of Employees

Employers can use social networking sites to spy on employees or gather information on potential employees.


2. Use of business-related information, including transaction.

Whenever you purchase merchandise on lne, through a credit card or use a cheque in a store, the business has your information and can use that information to solicit your business. Another threat is a loop-hole in the system where there are ads placed on the site you visit and these ad company can have information diverted to their site so they know where you've been (which site you've visited).

Which do you worry about more - government of business - when it comes to collecting and managing your personal information?

I would tend to worry more about business managing my personal information, and more specifically, what that business will do with my information. With identiy theft on the rise, I am always concerned how my personal information can be used. You never know who has it, what they will do with it and as a result, how it can destory/devastate your life. Many times I feel like I'm taking a gamble when I go to certain sites and leaving "my footprint", or when purchasing something on line. I am still leary about that.

Email

Do you enjoy using email as a communication/conversation tool? Are you able to adequately convey meaning?

I like using email for business related activities. It's easier, faster and can obtain answers quickly. It also provides a great tracking system and documentation of certain decisions. When collaborating with collegues on certain projects, getting a written confirmation can be invaluable. However, there are some instances that email cannot be used and a face-to-face meeting needs to happen or a simple phone call. One needs to know how to descern the other so that you can be an effective person.

On a personal level, I can keep in touch with friends who live away, my daughter who lives away and I recently discovered emailing my children's teachers is very handy indeed! With the use of Facebook and it's email feature, I can organize groups, check friends and get caught up all in one program. Most times, I feel that I am able to convey meaning in the message. For anything that is very serious, I will use the telephone or go see the person.

Note one element of "netiquette" that you learned in the reading. Answering a backlog of email in reverse. I never thought of that! I usually go to the oldest and work to the most recent, but it makes more sense to go in reverse.
Add another element to the netiquette list in the textbook. I occassionally use only the subject line for my message, especially if the message is short, i.e., mtg at 3p.m eom (end of message - so the reader doesn't have to open the email...)

Our Fiber Optic

I know, I've written about this already! I'm really getting annoyed now, because this new technology is supposed to be better, faster and more reliable! But this is not the case in our community. I'm not sure what happened, who was spear-heading the project and how we got shafted in the process. Well, shafted is how I'm feeling. We are just learning that our fiber optic will not be put to full capacity, and we're operating at 25% of its capability. This is not good. Our technology class is more than likely the first feel the effects of not operating at full capacity.

Although I quickly skimmed the latest class blog on "The Need for Speed", I can feel for the Navajo community that may not have high speed access in their vast territory. Is it just me, or is it that natives usually get the raw end of the deal?? Must look further into this, and our own deal with the fiber optics.

Mac or PC

Needless to say I was pleased to come across this article in our text. Lately, this has been the question, and many arguements have been made, beginning with my kids. My daugther is an avid Mac user and often snickers at our PC and goes on and on about how much better the Mac is. My Son has joined the Mac craze recently, through his digital tech class and is now saving up to buy himself a Mac. Most Mac users feel the same ~ Mac Lovers. Rarely do I meet another who is not a Mac fan. Other than a fellow collaborator of mine, a business-minded person no less, perfers to use a PC, because PC's have better business capabilities and most of his associates are PC's users. Ahhh, more relief when I heard that.

The text, too, goes on to say the arguement is pointless, and that in fact, the two systems "are more alike than they are different". (page. 34)

So, I'm happy with my PC till......

My Daughter's Edu-Portfolio

My 10-year old Daughter's Grade 5 French immersion class recently began using edu-portfolios in their class. This new technology allows them to easily set up a portfolio, view others in their class and design as they wish. It's interactive, exchange is simple, visually appealing, is protected, teletransportable and potentially sociaconstructivist. Users include grade school to university, teachers at all levels, administrators and everyone in between.

For more information on this new technology, you can go to eduportfolio.org and learn more about it. I think this new technology is great for our students, they are learning differently that we did, using a new concept social-constructivist. This perspective emphasizes the impact of collaboration, social context and negotiation on thinking and learning. Social-constructivist perspective is inclusion of community and what the Grade 5 French Immersion class has done is created their own little community on the web!

Very interesting indeed! I look forward to reading what she is posting and how she, and her fellow classmates will be designing the site.