Sunday, June 19, 2011

Ready, Set, Go! SEPTEMBER- iPHONE 5

Never thought I would thank a competitor but I am happy for the Google Nexus and yes, the new Android coming out soon because Apple needs to push out the iPHONE ! In fact, recent news has projected Apple will come out with two new iPhones. Iphone 5 and a lower priced version iPhone 4S  says Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore .According to him,
It will release the iPhone 5, will have new features and operating system and the iPhone 4S, a "mid-range" prepaid smartphone priced at $350. The data plans would work similarly to the iPad. Users could sign up and pay for what they need when they need it.

White iPhone 4 helped the dry market field for awhile but we need to give the people what they want - the new operating system and a new reason to 'stick with the iPhone".

My phone service is ready for an upgrade - but why should I waste my "once in a 2 yr" upgrade time with a phone that has little more to offer but face-to-face and better quality pictures.  With articles questioning if the "new" Android Phone is an alternative to iPhone-- it is time for Apple to give us reasons to stick - a newer phone with features like a 4G network would help.

BACK TO SCHOOL with an iPhone 5 - I'll wait for that! 


FB Upload Celebrity Photo w/YOUR Name

 Confuse Mark Zuckerberg or Give him your "Privacy Rights" for Facial Profiling 


Everytime you post a picture ( or someone else posts one to FB) 

Do you realize that someone is tracking 
-Who you are, 
-What you like, 
-Who your friends are, 
-What you did last nite, 
-Where you are today and and and...

If  a Newspaper reporter takes your picture - you have to give permission to post it 
or if policemen takes your picture and shows it on Channel 5 news TV 
online
you may have a problem with that. 

However when YOU or someone else posts a picture to Facebook- 
Do you realize someone is collecting your   “biometric data collection” scheme and that it violates privacy and adversely impacts consumers...  
according to the The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), in a complaint file to the FTC.


 How to OPT out of FACIAL RECOGNITION on Facebook

1. Disable the Facebook facial recognition auto-suggest function for photo tagging.
Go to Account (upper right corner of homepage) - Privacy Settings - Custom settings (bottom middle) - Suggest photos of me to friends - Enabled/Disabled (check Disabled)
2. Vigilantly monitor your notifications about being tagged in photos so you can be in control of this data.
3. Upload pictures of celebrities or other people and tag them as yourself.  The point is to pollute Facebook’s facial recognition database of you so that its ability to identify you is weakened.
 4. Request Facebook to remove your "summary information" from its facial recognition database (hat tip to PCWorld).

Tips from : International Business Times  -June 18, 2011 10:50 AM EDT


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Thursday, June 9, 2011

Google Doodle Guitar Honoring Les Paul - Permanent HOME

Google Doodle Guitar Les Paul LINK

Google Doodle                                      

Creative minds just keep on amazing me with design and technology_here is another example with the Google Doodle "Les Paul".   Shaped like the Google logo by10 strings of different pitches of  a guitar, the doodle guitar can be played either by moving the mouse over the strings, or by clicking a button below the strings that enables users to hammer out riffs using the buttons on their keyboard.
There is a red button with recording ability that will save your tune and forwarded to friends for collaboration. 

My students in class were strumming away today and in awe by this creation. I love whenever creativity involves and excites the senses.




GREAT NEWS!    Google Doodle GUITAR has permanent home 


http://www.google.com/logos/2011/lespaul.html
Check out all of the Google Doodles and re-visit some great old friends and new.


http://www.google.co.in/logos/index.htmlGoogle Doodle History

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Verdi Google Design Contest

GOOGLE Doodle Design Contest
Ms.Verdi's FHS Graphics Classes


Google's Annual Doodle Contest for High School students has students from all over the country creating a special doodle based on the theme, "What I want to do someday".  The following entries were also submitted to the Google nationwide contest. The top three winners will be displayed in our FHS Library. Thank you for voting.
VERDI GOOGLE DESIGN CONTEST



VIEW THE GOOGLE DESIGNS -
VOTE IN THE BLUE BOX BELOW.

Happy 150 MIT from Verdi Media Works


MIT Celebrates 150 : 150 Ideas, Innovations!

One of my FAV places to learn- Massachusetts Institute of Technology is celebrating it's 150th year anniversary.  The Boston Globe MIT series  has devoted a special section with tributes, facts, and listings of activities. My first memory was as a 14yr old walking up those infamous steps to participate in a mind expanding weekend classes offered to High School students. It was most exciting to be chosen to be part of the StarLOGO program and have the opportunity to meet Mitch Resnick of
Computer Clubhouse and SCRATCH and yes, visit the MIT Media Lab.  One of my "must do" in Life checkoffs.

Giving back to the community with inspiration- MIT Museum has been a great field trip for my High School  students with a tour of the campus that includes the "crocked buildings" and hall of pranks : )
The annual MIT 35 is a great program that introduced me to several innovators with inspiring motivations and ideas for helping to provide our students to nurture their talents. 

One can also "attend' classes for free- as MIT was one of the first universities to share their courses online in the Virtual classes.

Congratulations MIT - you will always be  one of my favs! 

MIT 150: 150 ideas, inventions, and innovators from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that helped shape our world
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Saturday, April 30, 2011

NOT your Average GIF -WOW to Cinemagraphs!

"American Celebrity"  ( Double click image to open in GIF view)
"Anna"      ( Double click image to open in GIF view)


Collaborating talents, Photographer and Video person, photographer Jamie Beck and motion graphics artist Kevin Burg create  animated GIF to a level of fine art, with their "cinemagraphs" of animated creations that are "something more than a photo but less than a video." Beck takes the photos and Burg applies the motion-graphics in "a highly collaborative process" that can take several hours of manual editing.
Mesmerized by the results, I want to share some of my favorites from their glowing results and an interview by My Modern Met with the creative artists.

"Meet me at the Bar"   ( Double click image to open in GIF view)

Related articles
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Friday, April 8, 2011

"Driving Ms Verdi" Google Driverless Car

Google Driverless Car -Sebastian Thrun 

One of my dreams is coming true- a Driverless Car! 


I had the pleasure of meeting Sebastian at M.I.T. a few years ago, at which time he presented the robotic car competitions of his Stanford University labs. Now in his TED presentation - we can see the video's of the Google Driverless Car he is committed to perfecting in recognition of a friend who died in a car accident as a youth. 
 The Google car has already test driven over 140,000 miles along the West coast - with a trip as from San Francisco to Los Angeles successfully navigating curves, obstructions, and road traffic.  Thrun contests it will save lives, ease off on the environment by saving fuel, and provide us humans more time to enjoy our lives.
Set my destination and watch me sit back while the cameras and laser tech guides the way- I am ready when it goes retail. Or better yet, use me as a test driver - I'd love to have a chauffeur! 




 

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Is this a Google search or an Ad?

Google's SEO Cat & Mouse.Thanks to Seobook.com for sharing their images for us to see
"HOW THE EVOLVING ALGORITHYM SHAPES THE WEB"
This very well done infographic portrays the Google search and use of advertising in searches. "Google has used their amazing marketshare to bend the web to their will", according to SEO Book.com.
It is now the most profitable and powerful companies and is powered by ads. Research has shown that the ads do undermine the credibility of search engines. Googel both measures and monetizes the publishing ecosystem with over $1billion in online ad revenues. Seobook contends that "Their (Google) editorial philosophy and and ad porgrams have likeyl had more impatct on the shape of the web than anything or anyone since Tim Berners Lee created it.

With these comments and info in mind, we (users) need to take it into consideration as we log in to "google" the world for info and data- that we are buying into the advertising world and being used for marketing. I see my gmail with prompts of ads that relate to the words from my gmail messages and become alittle leary.
Who's watching over my Personal life? collecting my INFO and messages?

Big Brother ? or Google?




Infographic by SEO Book
Here is a great image of tracking the Google Algorithym search.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Welcome to iPAD2

Praises are in order for Apple whose iPad2

delivered us the many features that make this device

 the standard for all mobile tablets.  A lighter version makes it easier to carry and built in covers save the cost of an additional accessory. Now with a built in camera and video camera- one can use wifi for FACE-TIME and have one of the BIGGEST viewing screens for taking photos and video. I see it being set up for wide shots and working it's way into more settings.

The apps for photo and video editing are available making for quick editing and uploading to our clouds or social networking accts.

The faster operating system has been a nice feature that will come in handy as we add more functions.
All in all, I think it is a nice time to buy an iPad if you don't have one already. It is one of those advances in techology that gets better with age and gets used in our lives "once we get our hands on it".  

Saturday, March 12, 2011

The Art & Technology of Film " SKYLER"

"SKYLER" the art(&tech) of film-making
"SKYLER" film by Director / Artist Clenet Verdi-Rose


Coming to a theatre near you...


"Skyler", a great film and marketing example for us digital designers and techies, as it exemplifies the integrated roles of film maker/ creative artist and the role of technology in relationships today.  Checkout  the website's  social media profiles of character conversations and the collage poster composed from still photos from the film.

"Skyler" director, Clenet Verdi-Rose, began as an artist and took his creative skills to the screen directing- much like
Tim Burton, Academy Award Director whose drawings will soon exhibit at Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art.  Creative artist meets technology as the Skyler director, Clenet,  took digital stills from the film and used Adobe Photoshop and plugins to create collages of photos for the poster and marketing website.

The film, "Skyler"  also incorporated examples of Social Media communication that are now impacting relationships and are portrayed on it's website as the actors use Skype texting, and Facebook profiles. 









Wednesday, March 2, 2011

iPAD2 Intro by Steve Jobs

Jim Wilson/The New York Times photo of Steve Jobs/iPad2
iPAD 2  Steve SpeakThe time has come, Steve Jobs is talking about the newest iPad 2 describing it's much awaited new features of Face-time, cameras, and photo and video editing software. The new case has little magnetic tabs which allows it some safety and stability as a stand. It is not my intention to use an iPad as my primary camera; however, it will make mobile communications using iChat video and Skype usable with images. Looking at the video on the Apple site  ,  the video makes it look pretty tempting for more people to use and integrate this device for family connections and documenting gatherings. 

There will be a faster operating system with longer battery life with iMovie and Garageband. 
Look forward to seeing it come out on March 11, 2011!