I have been wondering how my son found this lego digital designer that he downloaded for free. Well, after looking around at some free software download sites as part of the guidelines for my class, I found the site.
If you are a lego lover- you need to visit this site, lego digital designer
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Question??
I was watching a youtube video the other day about AFS that I wanted to download and use as part of a presentation that I was giving. I was able to download it and save it to a flash drive but I was unsuccessful at getting the sound...
I googled and tried to troubleshoot but the information seemed a bit over my head!!
suggestions?
I googled and tried to troubleshoot but the information seemed a bit over my head!!
suggestions?
Using SKype
I had the opportuntity to use some of the free stuff that we have been learning about in class. Yesterday a group of us from another one of my grad classes got together via the computer and had a conversation using Skype.
It was a userfriendly application. Within a few minutes I had gotten it downloaded and talking via a headset!
My only question is...does anyone know how to record a session on Skype??
It was a userfriendly application. Within a few minutes I had gotten it downloaded and talking via a headset!
My only question is...does anyone know how to record a session on Skype??
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sortware called Ortist....cool
I just found this social networking blog through Ning and signed up to became a member of this community. Visit my page . This seems like it will be a wonderful resource to use as I am going through my graduate classes and beyond.
While I was developing my home page, I came across this software application called Ortist-Graphical Scrapbook that is awesome to use. Here is a blog site about it.
I am constantly amazed by what can be found on the Internet.
While I was developing my home page, I came across this software application called Ortist-Graphical Scrapbook that is awesome to use. Here is a blog site about it.
I am constantly amazed by what can be found on the Internet.
Creative
Technology is a wonderful and exciting thing. Take a look at this that I recently got from an e mail:
Who but students would have the determination to create such a thing? This is almost unbelievable. See how all of the balls wind up in catcher cones. This incredible machine was built as a collaborative effort between the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University of Iowa. Amazingly, 97% of the machine components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft, Iowa ....yes, farm equipment! It took the team a combined 13,029 hours of set-up, alignment, calibration, and
tuning before filming this video but as you can see it was well worth the
effort. It is now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the
University and is already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian!
video .
I am somewhat of a scaptical person so I decided to check out snopes to see if it was for real. Guess what? It was not. But what an awesome use of technology and computer animation.
It pays to not take everything that is presented as "real" on the internet with a bit of wonder! I like to double check the information and enjoy it for its value!
Who but students would have the determination to create such a thing? This is almost unbelievable. See how all of the balls wind up in catcher cones. This incredible machine was built as a collaborative effort between the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University of Iowa. Amazingly, 97% of the machine components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft, Iowa ....yes, farm equipment! It took the team a combined 13,029 hours of set-up, alignment, calibration, and
tuning before filming this video but as you can see it was well worth the
effort. It is now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the
University and is already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian!
video .
I am somewhat of a scaptical person so I decided to check out snopes to see if it was for real. Guess what? It was not. But what an awesome use of technology and computer animation.
It pays to not take everything that is presented as "real" on the internet with a bit of wonder! I like to double check the information and enjoy it for its value!
Another Google feature
I just got an e-mail about another feature that Google has added to their tool bag. Google Mail has responded to a problem that confronts many of their users ... sending that email when you aren't quite fully awake (or sober). An optional feature has been added that requires the user to complete a math problem before they can send an email during late hours. Check out this new feature at: wired.com
Friday, October 10, 2008
What is google up to?
Just doing some surfing tonight as I was listening to the radio, and came across this new project from Google for a new search engine. Check out this website.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Expanding our globe right in our own home
If you are looking for a way to expand your world, take a look at this website AFS . AFS is a wonderful exchange program that allows high school age children to experience living life in the home of a family from a different country. We currently have a student from Finland living in our home. It is amazing how small the world is becoming with the use of technology.
When AFS started 90 years ago, children that came to live in host families in the US had very limited contact with their birth families. Those children looked to their host families for everything because they were the people that would be able to assist them in meeting their needs. This year, our student has an e-mail account, a facebook page,Skye and a cell phone to name a few of his "connected toys". He can literally talk to someone from back home every day if he chooses.
I see technology having a huge impact on the experience of these kids, both positive and negative. They may not be as homesick due to the readily avaiable communication - yet it can get in the way of their "bonding" as quickly with the host family. Children will sometimes turn to their birth family to help them through their struggles in the host family community when it may be more effective to ask thier host parents.
We have grown as a family already and look toward seeing how technology will impact us as our student settles in and than when he leaves..... what I do know is that he is making friends and taking up valuable computer time for the rest of us!
When AFS started 90 years ago, children that came to live in host families in the US had very limited contact with their birth families. Those children looked to their host families for everything because they were the people that would be able to assist them in meeting their needs. This year, our student has an e-mail account, a facebook page,Skye and a cell phone to name a few of his "connected toys". He can literally talk to someone from back home every day if he chooses.
I see technology having a huge impact on the experience of these kids, both positive and negative. They may not be as homesick due to the readily avaiable communication - yet it can get in the way of their "bonding" as quickly with the host family. Children will sometimes turn to their birth family to help them through their struggles in the host family community when it may be more effective to ask thier host parents.
We have grown as a family already and look toward seeing how technology will impact us as our student settles in and than when he leaves..... what I do know is that he is making friends and taking up valuable computer time for the rest of us!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Decoding text messages
A source that I found to have more abbreviations than I will ever use is decoding messages
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Texting
The other thing that I have been giving more thought is text messaging. We have a high school exchange student staying with us this year and at times I think he and I are on the same page with texting.
My kids fairly fly over the keys as they text their friends. I have now finally learned how to use the T9 feature on my cellphone which makes the technique much easier but it does not help me with what the abbreviations stand for.
Our exchange student has the same issues. He is asking one of my children what kids are saying to him in the text messages. I came across a site that listed several tips for "decoding text messages" that I have decided to use. I also found some programs that I can text my kids phones from the computer for free! I am liking that...much easier to use the computer keyboard with bifocals than my tiny little cellphone keypad!
My kids fairly fly over the keys as they text their friends. I have now finally learned how to use the T9 feature on my cellphone which makes the technique much easier but it does not help me with what the abbreviations stand for.
Our exchange student has the same issues. He is asking one of my children what kids are saying to him in the text messages. I came across a site that listed several tips for "decoding text messages" that I have decided to use. I also found some programs that I can text my kids phones from the computer for free! I am liking that...much easier to use the computer keyboard with bifocals than my tiny little cellphone keypad!
An amazing feature
Ok, I was just "wondering" around in the new Office 2007 Microsoft word that I had installed last weekend. I found this amazing feature where you can click on a new document, create it and have it published on your blog. Wow, so exciting.
I see this making the idea of blogging to be even more user friendly for me. I am still getting into the habit of thinking about things that I want to blog about. I find myself thinking of it when I am doing something else so now I can be working on something and if I have an idea, all I have to do is click on this feature, type my thoughts and it posts on my blog.
Man, technology is so COOL!!
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