Derek Lomas: Open Source Gaming

I stumbled upon this video cast searching for a technology podcast for my IT 107 class assignment on iTunes and online.  The interesting topic that caught my attention was how a simple learning game translates into a countries economic future by changing the games contained in an already low price computer.
  

If you watch the video link here:
Derek Lomas: Open Source Gaming
You can learn more about it.

Derek Lomas, director of the Playpower Foundation spoke about how developing and creating a simple touch-typing game can change a persons career in India from laborer to office worker by acquiring that simple skill.  Moreover, Lomas talks about his experiences in India and other developing countries with the focus on a $12 computer that is currently being sold in the market.  Furthermore, he elaborated the specification of the computer in his speech and how its possible for merchants to sell at that price.  He stated that the games were enjoyable but not educational. He commented that if the games were such, it would help their economy by boosting them with skills such as, touch typing and mathematics.  Thus, further empowering the society as a whole with knowledge and education through this $12 computer.

Not knowing anything about the Playpower Foundation prior to the podcast, you learn that organization is trying to develop an educational games to install with the existing $12 computers.  The organization will also give the games for free to the manufacturers in order alleviate the implementation. Also, the foundation they are in need of funds and help for those willing to help their cause.

I agree with the mission that this organization has right mentality in empowering the youth and people through videogames.  Also, that giving the manufactures the educational programs free will face no road blocks for selling the computers back into the market with the new programs.  My main concern would be that the manufactures can raise the prices in order to make a profit and that Playpower should have an agreement to prevent that from happening.  Otherwise, I have no other concerns with Playpower's mission.
 
Further Information:
PLAYPOWER is a non-profit organization designed to create free educational computer software for low income families in India and other developing countries. The games are designed to run on 8-bit systems, using a processor that is in the public domain, which allows the games to be run on very low cost computers. For $12, families can buy a compatible computer with an 8-bit, 6502 processor, a keyboard, a slot for game cartridges, a mouse, and two game controllers. Lacking its own monitor, the computer plugs into a TV screen for display.

http://playpower.org/

Abha Dawesar: Life in the "digital now"

The main topic of this speech is about the integration of the 'digital now.'  Digital now is a concept is immersion of having technology in our life as important as having food and shelter.  Catastrophic events such as her having been lived through "Hurricane Sandy" that the nature is stronger than the technology the humans can ever make but such events will have not stop our current generation of having the need to be plugged in, by going to the nearest available plug to connect to "Twitter, Facebook, and etc."

This digital now distorts time by archiving every moments of time and the "now" concept is a farce because time will always be a few moments ahead regards of how we want to savor it.  What ends up happening with the digital now is looking back at the past on Twitter, on Facebook and etc., instead of living at the moment.  She mentions that "Time is attention and that time and attention is one in the same."  That there is hope and regain our completeness of self and choose to take time back by not plugging and enjoying the time with the environment around you.

The speech was every engaging and her pace very subtle with pauses that allow her audience to soak in and think about their our lives.  She presented the problem of the 'digital now' but also presented a solution on how we can solve but going outside enjoying nature and the people around you with our digital devices.  Overall I would recommend to take what she mentions on this speech to heart and learn to apply it on our lives.

TMJ 4 and FOX 6 on Social Media (Facebook and Twitter)

As technology advance, media advances, and as of this moment 'Social Media' is becoming the norm and companies that do not take grasped of this concept will be forgotten. Social Media has taken the world by storm, with a 24hr audience its free advertising and it would be foolish for any company not to take advantage of it.

Two TV companies, FOX 6 and TMJ4 have taken hold of social media tools and used them to deliver and capture their audiences which is the public. TV stations or News success are based on their audience that watch and view their broadcast during their segments.  Both stations main purpose for these tools is to have people follow them on Twitter and like them on face Facebook, in a sense those people that perform those actions become part of their audience online. The following is a quick overview how two companies in a similar business use and utilize social media to their advantage.


Fox 6 Milwaukee
WITI, channel 6, is a Fox-affiliated television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. WITI is owned by Local TV, the broadcasting subsidiary of private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners, and has studio and office facilities in Brown Deer, Wisconsin (though with a Milwaukee address) and its transmitter based in Shorewood, Wisconsin.

Fox 6 on Twitter and Facebook

FOX 6 has more likes on Facebook (131K) and followers on Twitter (16,550) on both social media tools than TMJ 4 but fewer people talking about the page (12,579).  The Facebook page is used to post news that is happening locally, nationally and sports.  People can like that page but are not required to view the full page and it function.  Also, viewers can comment or like a post that is on the page.   The 'About' section of the page has very limited information in comparison to the TMJ 4 Facebook Page.  Moreover, the post are the news that are widely popular in their website. Lastly,  there are longer periods of time on each post.  In this example, this latest post was posted 8 hrs ago.

On Twitter,  there is a more frequent post by FOX 6.  By scrolling through the post, you can identify that those post are made by those who work for FOX 6 only.  The intro stated, "Managed by the Web Team." but does not stated who those individuals are.  There are no replies on any tweets or conversations, we can deduct that this twitter accounts purpose is for news personnel to use this to promote and broadcast news that is happening now.  Also, by having the news personnel tweet on this pages, it will allow its viewers/followers to develop a more personal connection to the station.

TMJ 4
WTMJ-TV, virtual channel 4.1 (digital channel 28) and branded as "Today's TMJ4", is the NBC-affiliated television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It serves as the flagship station of the Journal Broadcast Group, and is one of several flagship media properties owned by Journal Communications, which also owns the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and radio stations WTMJ (620 AM) and WLWK-FM (94.5). The station's studios located on Capitol Drive in Milwaukee, with its transmitter located directly to its north at approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) north of downtown Milwaukee.

TMJ 4 on Twitter and Facebook
TMJ 4 has fewer likes(114K) and followers (13,700) on both social media tools than FOX 6 but have more people talking about their pages (14,964).  The TMJ 4 Facebook page provides a more wholesome, frequently updated, and interactive page for the public. The example, here shows that posts are less than two hours apart and that post from this station are almost always ask their fans questions. "How much do you love the Packers?" like this photo shown here.  As you scroll down the page, you begin to notice that most of the post are related to news happening locally in the state and those that relate to national and global news are post if they are news worthy for the page.  The target for this page is mostly those that are centrally located in the Southeast Wisconsin Area and to engage them by asking questions of their opinion and personal lives that they are willing to share with the rest of the world.

TMJ 4's twitter account is very plain and bland in appearance.  It has two tones of color (Blue and Gray) and the TMJ 4 logo.  The twitter page is very under developed in comparison to FOX 6's twitter page. Visual this page is very unappealing and less personable than the FOX 6 twitter account.  The posts are frequent and centered around popular news, and at the moment its football.  There is little or no interactions from the followers in the last 10 tweets made and again it is use to promote the station and its news broadcast.   We can see that this account can be more accommodating for those following on mobile devices but not a desktop setting.  
FOX 6 uses Twitter to personally interact with its followers by having it news team to tweet on the page, while TMJ 4's Twitter page is only best on mobile device to it's appearance and tweet management.  On the other spectrum, TMJ 4 best utilized its Facebook page to interact with their fans and have a more diverse post centering around the local news on their page, while FOX 6 page have a less frequent post and a wide array of posts.

Social media is here to stay, these two TV are using Facebook and Twitter to gain and draw in their audience to watch their shows. Also, we saw that each tool can be used to interact with the public depending on the presentation and post contained on the page.  The best part about these tools are that they are free advertisement for any companies to use to promoted their brand.  Social media is gaining this track to becoming mainstream and those companies who choose to ignore this will be left behind.

Here are a the links for Fox 6 and TMJ 4 from their Facebook and Twitter:

Fox 6 Milwaukee
https://twitter.com/fox6now
https://www.facebook.com/fox6news

TMJ 4
https://twitter.com/tmj4
https://www.facebook.com/tmj4

This is my second post!!!

It is difficult getting use to all this social media things but I could see how people learn to love it.

Why I am at MATC and some information about me

I applied to IT Networking because I've always been fasinated with computers and how they work and how information can travel from one location to another.  Since, I am an online gamer and I've always wanted to understand how people of different locations play a game at the same time. Also, be able to understand components and mechanics what makes it is possible.

I chose MATC as my college of choice because it is affordable than my Alma Mater UW-Milwaukee, Cardinal Strict University or ITT Tech and it's close to where I live.  Also, MATC accepted almost all of my bachelor degrees credit and I was able to immediately start the IT Networking Program Classes.  Not only was it more affordable then other colleges in the city it also provided the least amount of time to complete. of 4 semesters.

My work experience are: Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and Young Life, Caterer, Teacher, Volleyball Coach, Office Assistant, Restuarant Host, Bingo Supervisor, Probation and Parole Agent, and Barista.

My other interests are sports, with emphasis of beach doubles and fitness.  I have completed 2 marathons and working on picking my 3rd. 

I am very optimistic that I will get a good job in computer before I leave MATC.