Final Blog/Poster Presentation

As the semester and this class is coming to a close, I have been reflecting back upon it. Overall, this class was very helpful and has taught me quite a few things about technology and its use in communication. I think all of the assignments have been worth while and fair, except for this poster presentation. The assignment was given too late in the semester when we should be focusing on more important things like finals. We had to take valuable time we could have spent studying to cut and glue pieces of paper together. The research on the technology itself was enlightening, but I think I spent more time trying to figure out how to make a poster 'engaging' than anything else. However, it was interesting to see things presented in a different way. The same old power point presentations can be redundant. I would suggest giving this assignment between the two papers instead of putting it off until this late in the semester. This would help displace some of the resentment that I and my fellow students may have felt about doing the project. That being said, I think this class was great. The topic I used for my presentation was the Google Chrome Operating System. It utilizes cloud computing and because no data is saved locally, it improves tremendously on the speed with which your machine operates. If you didn't see my poster, check it out here for yourself.

PC to MAC

With Apple coming out with new technology so frequently, it may be hard for many, including myself, to keep up with changes being made. Only a year ago I purchased my own MacBook. Since then, a newer version has been released, as well as a new version of the MacBook Pro (which unfortunately for me my brother has). Last month, Apple released an entire line of new computers, which feature for the first time Intel's Core i5 and i7 technology respectively. The intricacies are a step beyond my understanding, but the Apple home page is not. It offers tutorials on the right hand side of the page on about any topic or issue you may have. Those users who are skeptical about the change of platform will find this resource especially useful. Apple updates these tutorials, which are clear and easy to understand, and makes learning and using their new technologies that much easier. When logging into the Microsoft homepage, literally just now, I was prompted to do some kind of update. I declined. Apple takes care of my system updates automatically. This is not what I want to encounter when I log into any page, let alone one that is telling me about the computer I am using. Compare the links I have posted above and tell me what you think.

New Apple Users Everyday

When attending a large lecture recently, I counted a total of 16 computers in the room, 11 of which were MacBooks. From this statistic, it is safe to say that PC users are changing their operating system at a fairly substantial rate. A good friend recently just purchased a new MacBook Pro and is ecstatic with it. Last year she had made fun of me for purchasing my own, saying that they were too much money for what you were getting. She apparently no longer feels that way because she told me that her Dell (which was only three years old) had crashed and burned. It is true that you may be paying more money for an Apple computer than another product that runs on the Windows OS, but that old adage, "you get what you pay for," holds true. Apple computers are more reliable and run without contracting those nasty viruses that PCs are so notorious for. As students, we can not afford to lose valuable information that we have stored on our computers, or time for that matter, as deadlines are a must. I am not saying that Apple computers are perfect, but the satisfaction rate of their users is heads and tails above that of the competition. The proof is in the pudding.

AppleCare

Recently, Apple has been adding new retail stores. This is good news for most because sometimes they are few and far between and this presents potential problems for users who live far from the store where they bought their Mac. If you buy AppleCare, which extends service and warranty three years to after the date of your purchase, you will not have anything to worry about. The plans are $250 to $350 dollars depending on whether or not you have a MacBook or MacBook Pro. This service provides you with access to Apple experts to ask questions about software or trouble shoot. In addition, if anything should happen to your computer, you simply call, give them the number of your registered service plan and they will send you a box. You put your computer in the box and send it back out and they send it back good as new. There is no postage you need to pay and the service is nearly faster than the mail can deliver the computer to California and back. My roomate recently had to send his computer to Apple and it was back in about five days or so. So if youre not extremely computer saavy and often need to ask an expert about software, or you run your computer non-stop (which may lead to overheating or other problems) the protection program is a great option for new buyers.

100,000 and counting

The App store for the iPhone and iPod touch has now reached over 100,000 applications. These range from games, to map services, to programs that will find the best local restaurant. This makes Apple's application store the largest in the world. Users can be in any of 77 countries and have already downloaded over 2 billion apps. There is no sign of the use slowing down, as more people are turning to Apple and AT&T's 3G network. New competitors are emerging however, but new devices, such as the Droid, do not have nearly as large of a store with around 10,000 applications. Until another provider can offer the wide range of apps that Apple's store offers, I can not see anyone choosing a different handset device, no matter what features the phone itself offers. With devices today doing very similar things and having similar features, the App store is one thing that manufacturers can not reproduce and puts Apple heads above the competition.

Apple T.V.

Although released in 2007, Apple TV last year got a free software upgrade that may make it more appealing to some users. The new software upgrade allows users to directly access to iTunes store via the small console, rather than selecting what you want to watch from the computer. You are also able to rent videos for prices starting around $2.99. As long as you have a high speed internet connection, you're in business. This is one Apple product I would not buy myself, however. I own an XBox, through which you are now able to subscribe to Netflix. With this subscription, you only pay $8.99 per month and have access to tons of content. All one needs to do is go to the computer, add to an instant queue, and the content will transfer over onto your Xbox. In addition, for this price you are able to check out on DVD at a time through the mail. You can keep it as long as you want and get another when you send that one back. With the Apple TV, you must pay for every rental and also must watch this movie within either 24 or 48 hours of renting it. After that it is gone. I would much rather personally may a rate per month to use all of the content I want. Apple needs to restructure their system so that a user may be able to pay a monthly rate to access all the material they want and not have to worry about fees for every view or struggle with time constraints.

Apple goes green

We all know that we're supposed to recycle cell phones, batteries, and other electronic devices because they contain harmful chemicals that are bad for the environment. Often times however, we do not stop to think if there is a way for companies to eliminate these dangerous elements altogether. Apple is attempting to do just that by going green. In 2006, Apple completely eliminated the use of CRT's, or cathode ray tubes. By comparison, Dell, HP, and Gateway all still ship these toxic CRT's in their products to their customers today. Their products are recycled at a rate of 20% in 2008 and by 2009 predictions are estimated around 30%. By comparison, only 10% of other companies electronic devices are recycled. Apple collects and processes all of their recycles here in the U.S., assuring that the few harmful elements remaining in their products are not lost shipping them overseas. The company even collects old or unwanted iPods in their store so that the devices can be disposed of properly. As an incentive, they offer a 10% discount on the purchase of a new iPod with their recycle, which can add up if you want the latest model, costing around $200. Apple again is outdoing the competition and assuring that their products are disposed of correctly when a user upgrades. So next time you're thinking about throwing out unwanted technology, ask yourself, what would Apple do?