Friday, March 24, 2017

3/24/17 Current Event


Samsung Concept Smart Watch

3/24/17: Current Event
"Check Out Samsung's Smart Pocket Watch" by Tom Brant. Published March 23, 2017 http://www.pcmag.com/news/352605/check-out-samsungs-smart-pocket-watch

          Samsung recently developed their own Smart Pocket Watch. They debuted the watch at the Baselworld expo in Switzerland this past week. The watch has features of a modern smart watch with internet and technology, but is identifiable by the Victorian style design. It includes a hidden compass, as well as an LTE antenna and a battery that can last several days.  It has a hidden compass under its clock, which makes the actual watch pretty bulky. This is a concern since the watch may not be as popular among consumers because of its size. Most developers try to create a sleeker, more modernized product, but Samsung's Smart Pocket Watch does just the opposite with its heftiness. Still, it is just a prototype, and Samsung has not announced its official sale.

      This article shows the pervasiveness of technology in our daily lives, and how even a watch is evolving into something more complex. The product is similar to the popular Apple watch in that it connects to the internet, but it has an old-fashioned style. The watch can also track workouts, which relates to the FitBit which tracks the users' exercise and habits. Simple products that had one initial purpose, like a watch telling time, are gaining new tools typically relying on the internet. I thought the design was the most interesting aspect of the watch because it looks antiquated intentionally.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

3/22/17 Spring Break

3/22 Spring Break:
Tell me all about your spring break!  What did you do (not do), where did you go (not go), and how did you spend your week off.  Include at least 2 pictures!!

For spring break, I went to visit my family in Texas with my mom and sister. This gigantic family lives in Houston, and we had to interact with every small child (11). We went to sky zone, swam in the pool, and shopped. Samantha, in the photo below and to the right, is the ringleader of the clan. She managed to dial 911 on me for no apparent reason. And finally, when I returned home, I had a Fifth Wall show at Homer's coffee shop. 

3/22/17 Bracket

Maria Gnoza's NCAA Bracket

3/21/17 Photo Editing

Using Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or another online table-making program, compare & contrast the three Photo Editing websites you played around in. Once you have created your table, insert it as a picture into your post & include THREE examples of pictures that you edited for this assignment -- crediting below the photo which website was used for editing. 


Monday, March 6, 2017

3/06/17 Infographic Peer Feedback

Today's Blog Post: 3/06/17 Infographic Peer Feedback
Provide me with a quick overview of the student Infographics you viewed for this assignment.  In your reflection to me, provide the student name & 1-2 things you liked/learned by looking at their infographic. Finally, did you enjoy this project?
 
I commented on infographics by Amit, Karla, Chris, Hayden, and Grace. Amit's design was very simple and easy to follow. Chris provided a lot of facts that surprised me on concussions in football. Karla's subject on reading was really interesting to me. She noted that 42% of college graduates will never read a book again, which took me by surprise. Grace's infographic was very visual and appealing. The design really fitted her topic well. Hayden also had a strong project, and he actually analyzed his evidence rather than just listing it when comparing Nike and Adidas. I really enjoyed the project, and it will be useful to have Piktochart for future presentations and projects.

Friday, March 3, 2017

3/3/17 - Infographic Reflection

Blog Post3/3/17 - Infographic Reflection
What have you learned about Infographics?  Did you enjoy creating your own? (please explain). When might you use an Infographic in your school work, personal life, or other?  Which Infographic site did you use?  Was the site easy to navigate? Would you use it again or look for another site?


Infographic

I learned that infographics should highlight the most pivotal facts of the topic. They should reflect the subject through color, theme, and layout. I would use an infographic for presentations. They are easier to understand visually, so the audience stays with the speaker. This would be simple to use in a business or during a persuasive speech. I used the website Piktochart.com and it was very easy to use. I would use it again.


Wednesday, March 1, 2017

3/1/17 Infographic

Blog Post: 3/1/17
Take your time & conduct some research on infographics.  (respond with at least 10 sentences)
Find 2 examples of infographics that you think are very cool/useful to you.  Post the infographics on your blog & make sure to cite where you found them.


An infographic is a visual representation or diagram that best displays information. It is meant to convey information through a visual that makes it easier for the audience to understand, often breaking down different aspects of the subject. It works well with statistics and numerical values, which are harder for the audience to grasp visually. An infographic helps compare different data and offers a wide variety of statistics. It tends to highlight the differences, similarities, or grey areas in research. They are also more appealing to audiences through various colors, shapes, and data. Plus, they can typically hold someone's attention longer, while processing the information faster. An infographic may be easy to use in class presentations, especially ones that are reliant on evidence and fact. I would use this particularly in Debate for more dull topics. When discussing carbon taxes on China, an infographic would be beneficial to help break down a more complicated topic.

Plain Packs Protect (UK organization)                       Congressional Budget Office (2015)
Smoking Info                                                                                   Budget Info