- Billed as “a faster and easier way to input text on any screen,” Swype technology is designed to provide users with a quick method to type words into text messages. Swype Inc. says its technology enables users to enter words at a rate of up to 40 words per minute. In addition to mobile phones and tablet computers, the technology is designed to work on an assortment of devices, including game consoles, televisions and kiosks.
- Swype technology contains built-in intelligence that does not require you to hit each letter on a keyboard accurately while typing a text message. Depending on the type of screen, Swype technology can be employed using your fingertip or a stylus. On touch capacitive screens, which are designed to work with the touch of human flesh only, you can only use your fingertip with Swype. On touch resistive screens, any appropriately sized stimulus will activate Swype technology. Swype is available in several languages and supports common editing actions.
- The Swype application is a tightly written program that occupies less than 1MB of memory and is made up of an input path analyzer, word-matching search engine with accompanying word database and a user interface. The application’s word database is comprised of more than 65,000 words. Swype features a built-in statistical tracker that allows you to see your average input speed. Designed to include little to no learning curve, the application does offer an in-program tutorial that teaches the basics of using the program. Similar to word processing applications such as Microsoft Word, Swype automatically corrects commonly misspelled words, such as “friend.” To improve input speeds, Swype automatically inserts a space between words and produces a pop-up window when a swiped word could be one of several words that follow the same or similar path.
- Swype Inc. and its technology were created by Cliff Kushler and Randy Marsden in 2002. Kushler is the co-creator of T9 predictive text technology, which can be found in many mobile phones. Marsden is the developer of the on-screen keyboard for Microsoft Windows operating systems and is an expert in the field of assistive and alternative input technology. Swype Inc. is headquartered in Seattle.
If you like to keep up with the latest technology when it comes to computers, you probably have a stash of older computers in your garage collecting dust, not to mention monitors, keyboards, printers and other peripherals. These computers may still work or be destined for the junk pile, but because of the non-biodegradable and potentially hazardous metals, it’s best to find a place for these old machines other than a landfill.
Recycling, reusing or giving these old pieces of technology to non-profit organizations keeps landfills free of harmful materials. In Georgia there are several options to help you get rid of your old computers, from donating the old hardware to complete recycling.
- Delete all sensitive information from your computer. It’s rarely enough these days to just hit “Delete” and empty the recycle bin or trash. Run a program like Darik’s Boot and Nuke to completely erase your hard drive. See “Resources” below for more programs like this.
- Call the local schools and see if they’re in need of any computer equipment. Make sure everything is in working order before you drop it all off, including a functional operating system installation.
- Contact your area not-for-profit organizations such as places of worship or other non-profits. There are some organizations that refurbish and donate computers to those who can’t afford them.
Georgia’s Computer Recycling Program, ReBoot, refurbishes old computers and donates them to people with disabilities. They also accept software, telephones, cell phones, office furniture, copiers and other equipment. See “Resources” below for a link to ReBoot.
- Locate a Computer Recycling Site near you. If your computer hardware and other peripherals are beyond repair, it’s time for recycling. Major office supply stores may also offer computer recycling. As an added bonus for the busy folks out there, some businesses will even pick up your old hardware for a fee. See the “Resources” below for the Computer Recycling Center Locater.
- Technology has given us nearly instant communication. In addition, more people are able to view information and products than ever before. The increase in communicative ability and access to data is beneficial in that it creates a certain level of accountability. For instance, members of the media are under more pressure to report accurately, since the data they report is seen by potentially millions of people worldwide.
- Better technology in many instances has led to better travel. Planes fly more efficiently to more places than ever before, for example. The benefit is that it is very easy to transport both people and goods from place to place. The resulting global economy keeps prices low. People do not need to work or live only in their native area. However, better travel also means that people are more likely to spread disease from place to place, and a global economy means that some inferior or unsafe products may be widely distributed.
- For the most part, increased technology has led to improvements in health. Doctors now have ways to tell how sterile an environment or tool is. They have many different machines that can monitor vital signs or that can be used in medical procedures. Without this technology, many people would not recover from their illnesses, and disease would spread more rapidly.
Health and Other Concerns
- Although modern technology can improve health, there is concern that the excessive use of technology may promote some health problems. For instance, those who work in front of a computer screen or who watch a lot of television every day are more sedentary, which can lead to physical problems. There also is concern that technology is reducing the social skills held by people and that it allows for a decrease in safety, such as with child pornography posted on the Internet. Additionally, modern technology may be creating some problems in that it can be used improperly, such as with atomic bombs during war.
- Whether technology is beneficial or harmful depends largely on the way it is used and who is wielding the technology. For instance, computer email can be used to share family photographs, or it can be used to send out attachments that damage the recipient’s computer and steal information. Some regulations on modern technology thus are needed in order to guarantee or to protect individual and social safety.
- Open a word processing program such as Microsoft Word, highlight the word and right-click the highlight. Click the “Translate” option. Select “French” from the “To” drop-down menu and click the green arrow button to translate the word.
- Type the word into a free online translation website, such as SDL’s Free Translation service. Type in the word–for example, “cat”–and select “French” from the drop-down menu. Click the “Translate” button and the translation appears on the right side of the screen.
- Look up the word in a French and English dictionary, such as “Merriam-Webster’s French-English Dictionary,” “Larousse Student Dictionary French-English,” “Cassell’s French & English Dictionary” or “Webster’s French-English Dictionary.”
- Contact a member of the American Translators Association. The association website offers a searchable database of people who offer translation services. Within the website’s search form, narrow the search to English to French language translation in your zip code, where applicable.
- Decide what news video you want to record, such as CNN or Fox News, and open the video on your computer screen.
- Download and open a screen capture program; examples include “HyperCam,” “Camtasia” and “Easy Screen Capture Video.”
- Click on the “Record” option in your screen capture program.
- Click on the outer corner of the area you want to record and, while holding your mouse down, drag it across the video to cover the entire area you want to record.
- Click “Start Recording” on your screen capture program and then click “Play” on your news video.
- Click “Stop Recording” when you have recorded what you needed and then “Save” and then “Edit” to edit your video in the screen capture program.
- Let’s start with economy. Last summer, I was working on a television show in Arizona. The entire crew stayed in a home kept in the mid seventies, while the air outside topped 115 degrees. Although signs warned us to turn the thermostat up while we were away, we usually forgot, cooling an empty home for an entire work day. A programable thermostat would have cut our energy consumption dramatically by telling the cooling system when to stop and reset so that while we were actually there we’d still be in comfort. The same programming could be applied to furnaces and hot water heaters. Many offices already use motion sensors to switch on lighting. The same sensors have now migrated into homes and can determine when a home owner goes to bed to turn off the light and adjust the thermostat. Heavy electrical use machines, like washing machines or dryers could be programmed to turn on and work at when electrical rates drop.
- Home safety can also be programmed. Security systems can form the networking backbone of many smart houses. In addition to alarms, cameras are now commonly available that you could watch world wide from any PC when you’re away. Many home fires are started by electrical short circuits. In your home today, every device has power fed to it. In a smart house, power is only turned on when the device is needed. If a short circuit occurs, power can be disconnected, the kind of action you’d expect from a simple circuit breaker, but here’s the additional protection. Smart houses also detect gas water leaks and monitor smoke alarms. Power would also be shut down and the appropriate agency summoned. If you look at your home today, you’ll see many DC voltage transformers for radios, fax machines, and more. These wall warts are on all the time wasting power. Smart homes allow for different kinds of current to be fed to different devices only when needed, promoting safety through lower voltages where appropriate while again saving homeowners money.
- To begin, analyze your needs. With your family, discuss exactly which automation features you’ll require. If you are building from scratch, your requirements will influence your home’s layout. In a retrofit, you’ll be limited by your house’s floor plan. Get advice from as many people as you can who are now using automation. What did they do wrong? What works best? Decide on whether you plan to do the installation yourself or hire a professional.
- Decide on your network. There are four main kinds. Structured wiring is a specialized secure network of multi-conductor cable that distributes data and power for phones, computers, home entertainment systems, and any appliances that can be controlled by a microprocessor – think a remote control or timer. It’s the best choice for new construction but is hard to install in an existing home. Wireless networks are flexible and easy to put in. However they are subject to interference from baby monitors and mobile phones. Power line networks use a home’s existing electrical wires to transmit data. They can be disrupted by power surges and failures. If your system is unencrypted it could be accessed by a neighbor on your same local transformer – so much for home security. Phone line networks control your appliances over your existing phone lines. The devices are multiplexed, assigned different frequencies, but again require hard wire installation, although the wiring is small diamater compared to a fully structured network.
- Once you’ve decided on your network, then choose your control devices. Smarthome.com or housesmarttech.com are good sites to browse to see what’s available.
- Some smart house technology has already filtered down to common uses. For example, ground fault interrupters are better than simple fuses, because they can instantly detect a potentially fatal shock where electricity could run to ground through a person. These circuits shut down immediately and are now commonly used in bathrooms, kitchens, and outside outlets.
Removal of Gatekeepers
- The biggest change computers have made with mass media is the fact that there is no gateway between the writer and publishing. Anyone can set up a personal blog and report whatever news they wish. News can get to people more quickly, but it typically doesn’t go through the fact-checking or editing process like you’d see at a newspaper. Video blogs are another way news is delivered by anyone as well. People can record videos and post them online on popular mediums such as YouTube.
Speed and Style
- By the time a story is published in a newspaper it is likely that people already know what is happening. Even before it appears on the nightly news people have used computers to spread the word via social networking sites like Twitter or their personal blogs. News stations and newspapers even have places on their websites where their audience can submit news as it is happening. Writing style has changed as well. Journalism students are taught how to write for the online readers versus print. For example, frequently stories are updated throughout the day as news breaks, requiring a different mindset for a different audience.
Rise of Multimedia
- Computers allow journalists to add additional content to stories as well. Audio and video clips can be added to web stories, engaging the readers more than a newspaper or televised newscast can. Podcasts are a popular way news is delivered because the news can be downloaded on to an iPod and taken on the go. Another big change is the death of print media. Print products have generally been losing advertising revenue as more readers flock to the Web. Newspaper subscriptions have fallen dramatically.
- Skim the material. Read the table of contents to get a basic idea of what information the book includes. Then run through the pages, taking in titles, subtitles, headings, appendixes, glossary, pictures, graphs and any words in bold type. Let your eyes move rapidly over the text, rather than trying to read every word. Don’t try to remember anything specific; just try to get a general feel for the information.
- Decide what the material is about and what you hope to achieve by reading it. Ask yourself what you want from the material. By focusing on your personal goals, you allow your mind to concentrate on locating the information that would be most useful to you. This can help to generate personal motivation and increase your level of interest.
- Generate questions about the material. Now that you have a general goal in mind, write down a few specific questions pertaining to your goal. Try to anticipate how the author will present the information. When you spot relevant vocabulary in the text, you will automatically connect it to your question.
- Take notes while reading and underscore significant or meaningful passages. One of the best ways to remember something is to write it down. When you come across an important point, or something you wish to remember, jot a note on a separate piece of paper, make a note in the margin or underline the passage so you can find it again.
- Review what you have read to be sure you understand the material. Did it answer the questions you asked? If not, go through the material once more to determine why. It is possible the answers you were looking for just aren’t there, but by reviewing the material it becomes easier to recall and you can establish what you have learned, as well as what you haven’t.
- Summarize the material. Write out a short version of what you have just read, highlighting the main points, opinions, and conclusions. This will help reinforce general comprehension of the information.
- Identify the barriers that need to be overcome. These can be diverse and can include lack of tools and understanding of the technology as well as lack of support and motivation. Identifying and understanding the obstacles is the first step in any process of overcoming a barrier or challenge.
- Learn why it is necessary to integrate technology in a certain field. Consider the present and future implications of integrating and not integrating. In a classroom setting, this can be seen by considering how it will benefit the students in the future as well as the benefits to the teacher. For both groups, these benefits include increased productivity and motivation.
- Integrate with what is available. For example, in an organization that needs to improve customer and employee productivity, why not consider the freely available tools on the Internet and see how effective they are before moving on to premium versions? Social networks, for example, offer free productivity platforms that can be used to launch many products and services and also enhance interactions within and outside organizations.
- Start with small and fast projects before moving on to larger, time-consuming tasks. For example, the use of web video or Google Maps in a history class does not require huge investments of time and resources.
- Make technology integration a priority, and if necessary, ask for support. Use what is available to get started, and be flexible and open minded when using low-tech alternatives. During a semester or a quarter, integrate at least a new technology-based strategy, and work with others to get it adopted faster.
- Learn with your employees or students to reduce the learning curve. A technology that is learned within the classroom or office context tends to have more staying power than a one-shot workshop. Ask for suggestions, and let the employees or students determine how to best use the technology to improve productivity and efficiency.
- Send in the initial application using the FIT website at suny.edu and click “Apply Now.” After your application has been submitted, you’ll receive two emails confirming that your application has been received. The first letter comes from the SUNY Application Services Center. The comes from FIT to the email address indicated on your SUNY application. It will have what you need to complete the admission process. The FIT email includes your assigned student identification number and your FIT Username and Password. It can take seven to 10 days to receive the first email from FIT after submitting the SUNY application.
- Fill out an academic history and essay form, available online after you have received your email from FIT. To submit these forms, access MyFIT using your FIT username and password. In the essay form input your essay. The topic typically allows you to explain why you are the perfect candidate for FIT. Use it to tell admissions staff more about your experiences, activities and accomplishments. There is a 750-word limit. For the academic history portion, indicate all schools, dates of attendance, location, degree(s) awarded and other information for all secondary and post-secondary schools attended.
- Arrange to have all official secondary and post-secondary transcripts sent in sealed envelopes directly from your schools to:
Fashion Institute of Technology
Office of Admissions
Seventh Avenue at 27 Street, Room C139
New York City 10001-5992
FIT only accepts academic documents that have been officially attested (bearing the stamp and signature of the Registrar or designated officer) and placed in a sealed envelope by the issuing institution or awarding authority. Documents from all institutions must be provided, regardless of the type of institution, subjects taken or their relevance to FIT. Such documents should include all subjects taken, all grades or marks earned, and any degrees awarded. Official AP and/or CLEP scores, if any, are required when available. Official IB (International Baccalaureate) diplomas or certificates, if any, must be provided by the IBO.
- Review the portfolio requirements as Art and Design applicants must submit a portfolio. You’ll receive information in your FIT email regarding portfolio requirements for your major. Do not submit your portfolio until you have received an authorization form and detailed instructions from the admissions office. View requirements for the portfolio at the FIT
- Divide the elements of language into small, easy to comprehend groups. Some of the elements that you need to learn are cognates, which are words that look the same in different languages. For example, the English word brother and the German word bruder.
- Identify words called connectors, or conjunctions. These words are “and,” “so,” “but” and “or.” These words can connect words, show contrast or offer a choice.
- Identify referents. Referents are words used as a substitute for a noun, or pronouns. Referents are used in speech and the written language so that you do not have to say the item’s or person’s name over and over again. He, she and it are all examples of referents.
- Identify the different parts of speech and memorize prefixes and suffixes. It is vital to be able to identify the different parts of speech, prefixes and suffixes, in order to learn technical English. This will allow you to break down a word and readily identify its meaning. An example of a prefix is hyper-, which means extra or beyond, such as in the word hyperactive. A suffix is found at the end of the word; “-ism” is a suffix that means a belief, such as in the word communism.
- Practice the lexis and grammatical elements by reading a passage and identifying the different parts of speech and elements. Lexis is similar to the word linguistics and involves the base words of the language, without prefixes, suffixes, etc. Pre-reading activities and building a high-frequency vocabulary list are ways to practice technical English.
- Open a new Internet browser session window. Navigate to the computer manufacturer’s support website. For example, bring up Toshiba’s “Support” homepage (see Resources).
- Click on the link on the manufacturer’s support Web page that relates to updates, drivers and downloads. In this example, Toshiba’s support homepage has a link labeled “Download.”
- Click to highlight and select the category, family and model of the computer. Continuing with Toshiba, select “Laptops” for category, “Satellite” for family and “A105-S2001” for the model.
- Click the button that initiates a search for updates based on the selections made for the computer. On Toshiba’s site, click the “GO” button.
- Click the options to narrow the updates to the BIOS. In the Toshiba example, click the down arrow next to “All Operating Systems” and choose “BIOS.”
- Click on the link for the most recent BIOS update. Follow the instructions to download and install the updated files to the BIOS.
- Many businesses today not only make good use of their web sites, but also social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter as well as blogs and forums. These sites allow companies to share information and news updates quickly with one another and with customers, who share the information with their friends and followers. This viral spread of information plays a vital role in companies getting the word out about their products and services, and it helps customers have a direct say in the goods they wish to purchase.
- The quick sharing of information allows companies to receive instant feedback on their products from customers, employees and the competition. Speed and accessibility are important components in keeping up with research and development in a global business workplace, and the companies rising to the top are the ones paying attention to the available information about their business that potential customers can access.
- Once a business has completed the necessary research on customer needs, wants and reactions, it can continue to benefit from information technology by easily targeting the ideal customers with new products and services. For example, advertisers on the Internet use a kind of technology that “crawls” on an individual’s webpage, scanning words to judge what the individual is interested in, then provides advertisements that may appeal to that individual. If you are reading a web site about beach vacations, you may see advertisements for plane tickets to coastal cities or sales on swimwear. Information technology helps companies reach their target audience immediately.
- Information technology has led to an unprecedented level of connectivity, with telecommunication devices and programs, allowing businesses to stay globally connected and lead a more mobile work lifestyle. This has opened up a greater variety of jobs to potential employees all over the world, because employees no longer need to spend their entire work day in an office in the city where they live. Information technology also gives smaller businesses access to a much wider pool of customers, making it easier for them to compete with larger businesses.
Technology in History
- The impact of technology has been felt for centuries. The woolen mills of the early Industrial Revolution put cottage industries operating hand looms out of business. The internal combustion engine left many harness makers and blacksmiths jobless. And the more contemporary technological revolution has displaced secretaries, postal workers and telephone operators. Technological innovation makes it possible to do more with less. Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 for $1 billion. Instagram had 30 million customers and just 11 employees. By contrast, Kodak, which had just filed for bankruptcy, had 145,000 employees at the height of its operations. Displaced workers are usually first to feel the impact of innovation, with the middle and under classes bearing the brunt of unemployment.
Technology and Economic Growth
- According to classical economic theory, the accumulation of physical capital – tools, trucks, bulldozers and assembly lines, for example – is responsible for increasing human productivity. You can drive a nail with a rock, a hammer or a nail gun, but you will be most productive with the latter. But capital goods do not account for all economic growth. Technology plays a significant role in fueling economic growth. The impact of technology can be seen in advances in manufacturing where robots perform precision operations and in hospitals where robots are used to make medical procedures less invasive. Advances in technology are improving batteries to create better performance in everything from hand-held devices to electric automobiles. Predicting the advances made possible by technology is challenging, but they will continue unabated.
The Downside of Technological Change
- A negative aspect of technological change is its impact on income distribution. Workers who are displaced by technological advances may find it difficult to become re-employed as new jobs require advanced skills they do not possess. Technology impacts the number of jobs needed to produce goods and services. At the turn of the 20th century, a third of American workers were employed in agriculture. Asof publication, only 2 percent of the labor force works on the farm, producing more than their predecessors. A report from Oxford University states that 47 percent of all jobs may be automated in the coming decades. Middle-class jobs will be lost, and the gap between the haves and the have-nots will widen.
Prospering with Technological Change
- The rate of technological change makes it necessary to take a fresh look at education. While the technological revolution opens opportunities for better jobs, workers must be retrained and re-educated to take advantage of them. Education must be less by rote and more focused on creative thinking. The Internet has made online learning an alternative to traditional classroom instruction, and many academic institutions are turning to blended learning – a mix of classroom and online. Online opportunities such as Khan Academy or the colleges that post their academic courses for anyone to audit for non-credit are examples of the technological wave that can give workers the knowledge to gain higher-paying jobs.
- Click “Start,” and open the “Run” function.
- Type “dxdiag” in the dialog box to launch the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. Click “OK.”
- Click “Yes” to test the DirectX files on your system. Note the version of DirectX on your system under the “System Information” section.
- Open your Web browser, and navigate to the DirectX homepage. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Open the “All DirectX Downloads” link. Click the “DirectX End-user Runtime Update” link. Select the “Download,” and run the “dxwebsetup.exe” file.
- Accept the DirectX agreement terms, and click “Next” at the prompts. Click “Finish” at the last prompt to complete the installation. Reboot your system.
- Perform Steps 1 to 3 to ensure you have the latest version of DirectX.
- Obtain the latest version of BIOS for your Gigabyte P35-DS3R motherboard. Go to Gigabyte’s website and search for your motherboard model. Download the BIOS files.
- Plug in your memory stick and format it by going to “My Computer,” right-click on it and choose “Format.” After the format is complete, copy the BIOS files to the memory stick.
- Reboot your PC, and at the POST screen, press “End” to enter the Q-Flash utility.
- Select the “Update BIOS from Drive” option and locate the BIOS files on your memory stick, then press “Enter” to start the BIOS update process.
- Wait while your BIOS is updated. After the process is completed, which can take several minutes, a message will be displayed notifying you that the BIOS is updated.