Blog #20 "NFL and Twitter"

                   Social media just got a bit more social. The NFL and Twitter have just announced that 10 Thursday Night Football games will be able to be streamed on Twitter once the season starts. This news comes right after that Yahoo has finally agreed with the MLB to do the same for their site. The ability to live stream from a social media site is a smart move because those who don’t really have the time to sit down somewhere that cable or broadband connection is, also the NFL’s own paid subscription, can now watch games for free. This is one of the smartest moves by the NFL to make football a more globally known game, making it available for everyone around the world to experience the game.

Blog #19 "WhatsApp Messaging"

            Last month, Apple squared off with the FBI in a court case that involved the encryption cracking of an iPhone once owned by a terrorist. Apple would not comply, which thus later the FBI sought help from an outside source that was able to get into it. However, the continuing argument of privacy over national security just got a little more intense with the announcement that WhatsApp messaging system is now encrypted so that the government can’t get into it.

            WhatsApp announced this morning that their system is now encryption proof and unable to be broken into by the government. It now creates a better sense of security for users and many people who may question if there personal information is being looked at. This also now prevents the government from snooping on peoples personal lives and can also present a danger in case something like the case of the San Bernardino shooting was too happen again, which is the reason for the iPhone case. While this may relieve some people, it doesn’t relieve the national government.

Blog #18 "The Lifepack"

                Last week in Baldwin’s class we were shown a Kickstarter page that was solely purposed for funding for the development of a smart backpack, the Lifepack. This multi tooled backpack would literally allow a person the accessibility of an office anywhere you go. It included a fully charged solar powered battery, with USB connectivity that also doubled as a speaker. The Lifepack also has an integrated lock that allows it to keep it safely on anything, anywhere you go, which also doubles as a bottle opener. The space inside the bag as well is awesome, where you can put anything such as a laptop notebooks, literally anything. Not only are there pockets on the inside there are pockets on the straps and the part that faces your back. This thing is the ultimate backpack and makes me want to get one.

Blog #17 "Evernote"

           My life is pretty hectic. I have class, work, an extreme study schedule and occasionally once in a while I would like to have a social life. Things just don’t seem to always align perfectly. I needed a tool that could allow me to organize myself and have time that I needed to get things done down on a list and organized. That’s when I found out about Evernote.

            Evernote is a social organizer where you can write down notes, save photos and also link webpages onto documents. You are able to share these documents with others who have Evernote as well. I was able to create different notes with different tasks and schedules so that I can keep myself organized. I have found that it is a very helpful tool for my everyday life.

            

Blog #16 "Tesla Model 3"

           I’ve always said that electric cars are irrelevant and that the ability to charge up would only come from your house. However, with the unveiling of the new, affordable Tesla Model 3 sedan, this car changes my whole perspective. The big thing that catches my eye is the price. $35,000 for a Tesla modeled car with the amount of innovations that are included with it are blowing my mind. Currently, you are able to reserve this car for $1000 until they start shipping out in later 2017.

            One of the coolest features on the Model 3 is its new dashboard, or should I say lack thereof. The dashboard is essentially a huge touchscreen iPad that is on the middle area of the front of the car. It can display a huge map of locations, how fast you are going, weather and much, much more. Not only does it have the dashboard, but one full charge can bring a person 215 miles on charge. THAT IS RIDICULOUS!!! Tesla’s CEO has gone on record to say that he wants to double the amount of charging stations where that you are able to charge up to 80% of battery within 30 minutes at a station. This car is something that I would consider investing into and buying.

Blog #15 "Amazon Echo Dot"

            I've always wanted a personal AI. Having something to record everything I wanted, needing reminders, email notifications. Basically my own assistant. And with the Amazon Echo Dot I can get just that.

            The Amazon Echo Dot has many features that would make my life a lot easier and also one of the reasons why I am considering buying it. Not only is it less expensive than the previous larger Echo, which was around $190, the Dot is $89.99. That price alone makes me want to get it. But what makes it great is having the ability to understand the commands that you give it, It can tell you the weather report of your area, play select songs that you ask for, notify you if there ae any new emails coming in. The abilities that this technology can give a person is amazing. If Amazon and Microsoft can somehow create a holographic 3D version of the Echo and AI they call Cortana, then that would be the ultimate personal assistant device.

Blog #14 "Microsoft Hololens"

           The Microsoft Holo-lens are the newest device that combines accessibility with innovation. The device is basically a Windows-10 run PC that is placed onto your head as a pair of glasses. The coolest part is that what it includes makes the experience almost futuristic.

            The device enables the user to see holograms of objects that are usually used on a Windows device. Music can be played by a swipe I the air, the weather and location can become a little box on your coffee table with the New York skyline being the area, and much more. The coolest part of the glasses to me would be the sculpting aspect. You are able to construct anything your imagination thinks of in midair. And when you are done, you can 3D print it, making it more accessible and useful to designers and sculptors.

Blog #13 "VR in Sports"

      For the first time in history Virtual Reality will be a part of the sports fan viewing experience. Yes folks, the Oculus Rift will be used during March Madness’s Final Four that’ll allow fans that have an oculus rift to watch the game in virtual reality. This will enhance the experience of viewing sports and also create a new venue for people to watch sports.

       VR isn’t all that new to sports though. Created by Stanford, They have developed a virtual reality headset that allows teams to attach a camera onto a players helmet, allowing them to go over in practice or in a game that they once did and why they did it. It can become a useful tool when it comes to game preparation.