New Internet Explorer 8

I downloaded the new Internet Explorer 8. I like this version because there are new features. When you are finished downloading it, and after you restart your computer, Internet Explorer 8 has features that will help surfing the web that much easier for the user. For example, there's a feature that shows the user other sites they may be interested in by using previous search history to find related sites. This could be very helpful especially when researching for a project. It makes things very easy. Find out more information and want to download it for yourself?

Follow the link below to see what you're missing!
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/default.aspx

Muziic!

I just downloaded a (free) service/program that, when downloaded, is hooked up to YouTube and retrieves the song or music video searched. You can create your own custom playlists and it can be saved locally. When downloaded, you can search up the song you want to hear and a list of possible outcomes is listed. Click on the appropriate one and, to add to your playlist click the plus sign in front of the title. To play the song click the play button in the top left corner. It's actually pretty neat! Curious? click the link below to find out more!

To try it for yourself follow the link and click the download button:

http://www.muziic.com/download.php

Twitter Account.

I have signed up with Twitter, which happens to be another blogging site, but it restricts the user to 140 characters or less. This restriction shows that this site is used for more detailed blogs. It can be used to blog about how you're feeling, what you're doing, etc. Very small and descriptive entries is what is used here. It is not like this website, Blogger, where the user has no restrictions on how much they can write. I have been using my Twitter account blogging about what I've done especially with Microsoft C++.

To sign up with Twitter or to veiw my updates follow the link:
http://twitter.com/CaitlinNery

You may also make a Twitter account for yourself and start blogging. Click the Home button when you follow the link and sign up!

Visual C++

So today I started working with a program called, Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition. This program is designed for the user to input a code to get a program up and running. I have worked with many programs and this program as well as Microsoft Visual Basic are easy enough to use. If you would like to try this program out yourself or learn more about it please visit the following link:

http://www.microsoft.com/express/default.aspx

Measuring your Bandwith

I have used www.speakeasy.net/speedtest as a way to measure the speed of my bandwidth using the Seattle server. My results came out to be 2636 kbps for the download speed and 512 kbps for the upload speed. If you didn't know, "kbps" means kilobits per second.The results will vary because of different service providers, like Shaw Communications (Cable) and Telus (ADSL). To measure your own bandwidth, follow the link above, or simply copy it into another window, choose a server and wait for the results to come in (for both download and upload speeds).

Blackberry Javelin 8900

The smartphone that is my favorite as of right now has got to be the Blackberry 8900. This phone possesses features a computer would have like games, applications: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Wi-Fi, a 3.2 mega pixel auto focus camera, a great keyboard (qwerty) and a smaller screen unlike other phones, but higher 480 x 360 pixel resolution. Aside from all the applications and programs on the phone itself, another reason why I like this phone is because it is not as chunky, or heavy or wide as other phones are. It's small and compact but is full of great apps! I have this phone and really enjoy it, it's not as complicated to work as it may seem because it resembles and works just like a computer. It often gets confused with the Blackberry Bold because of its look. I have done a comparison against the Blackberry Bold and the Blackberry Javelin 8900. Under Size and weight the Javelin is proven to be a bit smaller and lighter. Under the heading, "Voice Input/Output", the Bold lacks a headset jack whereas the 8900 does. The 8900 seems to be better in Media player. The comparison goes on to show that the 8900 has a higher resolution pixel color display.

For further information or a comparison against different Blackberry Smartphones visit:

http://na.blackberry.com/eng/devices/compare/product-attr-compare.jsp?products=946&products=1367

10 Free Must Have Blackberry Applications

As everyone knows the latest gadget everyone has or is getting this year are the Blackberry phones. These mobile phones are more than just a phone, they are like portable computers that can fit in your purse and even your pocket! Its many features is what attracts individuals to buy this product. I have the Blackberry 8900, and it features: Windows Live Messenger, Blackberry Messenger, Wi-Fi, E-mail and applications such as: Word to go, Sheet to go, and even PowerPoint to go, these applications resemble the Microsoft programs: Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Having read an article about free applications I became even more interested in the Blackberry. It already has everything a phone and computer needs what else can it have to make it better? Well the answer is: free applications!

One of the ten applications that interested me was Google Mobile, this allows the user to a one-stop access to Google Gmail. ISkoot is an application where the user can receive and send Skype calls using ISkoot for those who have Skype this may be an application you may want to download for your Blackberry. There is further information on the applications. Don't waste time! Customize your Blackberry Smart phone now!

For the complete list of free applications for your Blackberry follow the link:

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=Mobile+and+Wireless&articleId=9125000&taxonomyId=15&pageNumber=1

PS. To learn more about one specific application click the name of the application you would like to learn about.

Python: Computer Programming

In ICT 12, we are working with a program called, Python. Python is a program that is designed for the user to use specific codes to make a program. As an appropriate topic, there is an interesting story on Python. Although, it talks about a major Python update, Python Version 3.0, my class as well as I will not be working with it.

For more details on this story and about Python follow the provided link:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10113479-92.html?tag=mncol;title

Digital Cameras

In the following link, you will find a list of about 90 digital cameras, all with their name, price, and supplier. Among these camera's there is the Canon EOS-1DS Mark III, which costs an outstanding $8000; and if that wasn't a surprise already, before you can even use it the lens still has to be purchased! That may sound unreasonable but among the list are very many reasonable, yet still very stylish cameras. Take for example, the Olympus FE-360, it's affordable at only $129.99. It's slim, has a long-lasting, rechargeable battery, a wide range of shooting modes and much more features. This list also provides a link when clicked on to give more information about a camera you are interested in. I myself really like the Olympus FE-360 because of its slim build and because of how many different features it possesses, the price also helps with why I like it. It also comes in silver, pink, and blue!

Follow the link provided and start taking pictures!

http://www.ndrs.org/cameras/

PS: feel free to comment about which camera you are interested in!

Twilight!

The movie release of Twilight, written by Stephenie Meyer, has been a worldwide phenom among young teenage boys and more so, girls. The story tells of a girl who moves to a small town called Forks, and unexpectedly falls in love with a boy named Edward, whom she later discovers to be a vampire! What happens when the person we're supposed to fear is the person we can't live without? That is the question Bella, the main character, has to deal with throughout the course of the book. The movie and book can be classified under the genre of romantic-thriller. It is a must read book!

Trism for the iPhone: Game Makes Big Dollars

This game created by Steve Demeter closely resembles the mobile puzzle game, "Bejeweled". Apple is allowing customers to develop games and sumbit it to them. This makes it even easier for people who love games and have a knack for developing them to hit it big! I guess playing games pays off... BIG!

For furthur information about this new and popular game follow the provided link:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/11/18/iphone.game.developer/index.html

OLPC XO

The innovative idea for the "One Laptop Per Child" (OLPC) program was founded by Nicholas Negroponte, to give children in developing countries an educational opportunity that they would never have. Last year, the students of Notre Dame Regional Secondary fundraised to purchase an OLPC XO. They purchased two units, one of which went to a student in a third world country.

On November 17th OLPC will launch their Give One, Get One campaign. There are many ways how everyone can help:

1. Tell 100 friends.
2. Bring your laptop to work or school.

Hopefully, by telling your friends and family about the Give One, Get One campaign, they will want to help. Surprisingly, there are about more than 100,000 members with XOs around the world.

For more updates on One Laptop Per Child, check out the following links:
http://www.laptop.org/en
http://support.laptop.org/
http://youtube.olpcfoundation/

Remembrance Day Ceremony

To celebrate Remembrance Day my high school, Notre Dame Regional Secondary in Vancouver, B.C put on a play commemorating the soldiers who died in the war to give us the freedom we have today. Our choir as well as our band also played a huge part in this ceremony singing and playing songs to make the ceremony better. We watched clips and PowerPoint's on key people who were involved in the war effort. Our Remembrance Day ceremony was very touching and I very well enjoyed it. In the image I posted above, the students in the acting class put on the play reenacting key moments in the war.

Visual Basic

In class we started with a new computer language program called Visual Basic. We started learning this new language with a Hello World program. It is here where we learned how to make labels and command buttons for the program. We learned that with a click of the mouse the program will react differently. For example, if we clicked an image a sentance (label) would disappear and if we re-clicked where the sentance was the image would reappear. Having already worked with Turbo Pascal I can say that Visual Basic and Turbo Pascal are very different with coding. To me, Visual Basic is a lot easier to work with.

Microsoft Announces New Operating Systems

Yesterday (October 27, 2008) Microsoft unveiled details of two new operating systems. Currently, the most commonly used Microsoft operating systems are Windows XP and Windows Vista. Although frequently critcized, often by those have never used it, Vista is actually a very stable, rich environment in which to work, particularly when used with up to date machines.

Nevertheless, Microsoft has decided to press ahead with successors for Vista. In late 2009 Windows 7 will be released. It will be much like Vista. Around the same time Microsoft will release Windows Azure, an operating system that lives on Microsoft servers and not in your computer. This is called Cloud Computing, the "Cloud" meaning the Internet. Basically this means that you won't need an operating system or programs: they will all live in the "Cloud."

Whether this works out or not remains to be seen. However, many companies are already trying this, both with Microsoft and with Google products.

"Cloud Computing" is one of the most used technology buzz words at present.

Binary Numbering

In a couple classes of ICT 12, Mr. Vogel, has gone over the concept of Binary Numbering. I learnt that computers work on binary operations.

Global Anti-piracy Day!

Today, October 21, is a special day, it is Global Anti-piracy Day! The losses due to piracy is increasingly mind blowing. In 2007, the economic loss was at $50 billion. Technology nowadays is on the fastlane and because of this criminals are gaining more opportunities which adds to the total economic losses. Piracy is a growing threat and Microsoft is trying to raise awareness and address this problem.

Click the link below to visit the Microsoft site on the Anti-piracy initiative:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/antipiracy/map.mspx

Class Blogs

ICT 12 Student Blogs (2008-09)
Ava Balingit
Ryan Battistel
Sofia Busse
Nicole Ceralde
Nathan Chiu
Tomasz Cieslik
Jonathan De Maeseneer
Danila Di Giacinto
Sonia Di Palma
Lia Estrellado
Kimberly Francisco
Dilantha Geekiyanage
Nikko Henderson
Nikka Komisarski
Steffani Mastromonaco
Caitlin Nery
Conner Olenick
Andrea Strazzullo
Adam Troczynski
Nikko Tagle
Alannah Villella
Jason Wong

These are the blog URLs for my ICT 12 class colleagues. The class is using Blogger throughout the year to record information about various programs and techniques.

This list will be updated to include several blog URLs not presently available.

iGoogle

Today I signed up for iGoogle surafce and made a couple of minor changes. I made a custom widget to display my IP address.

Programming Languages

This year in ICT 12, I will be working with several programming languages such as: Pascal, Java, Visual basic, C++, Scratch, and HTML.