GoogleDoc

In last semesters ACOM378 class, I was partnered with a classmate, to look into GoogleDoc. What I learned about GoogleDoc, was very little. I learned that it was a place where people can blog freely, save presentations, spreadsheets and mail. Individuals could even share there information with other people. My Conference presentation, journals and blogs for example could be saved under GoogleDoc. All I needed was an Internet connection and I wouldn't have to worry about carrying my own laptop everywhere, or even a travel drive. Its like having an online Favorites folder. However things have changed from then to now. GoogleDoc has now found a way for people to connect and view their own work OFFLINE.

GoogleDoc has now developed a way to view and edit your documents offline, without an Internet connection. GoogleDoc something called "Google Gears" which is an open source browser, that "adds offline functionality directly to the browser." GoogleDoc will use information stored in your computers hard drive as opposed to information sent to the network. When you view and edit a document, it will be saved on the computer until you do reach an internet connection which will update the documents changes on GoogleDoc. The new version of the GoogleDoc server is very innovative and helpful for people in organizations, schools, or anywhere in the workforce that uses technology.

This new server is very advantageous especially for those in the workforce or school. This is seen as a communication technology because it places all of your work into one safe and secure place. It gives you the ability to "share documents and calendars securely with your co-workers with just one click." GoogleDoc can be accessed from any computer, and even mobile phones. This would be an ideal application to use for Group communication, because BLS still has its bugs to work out. There is googletalk, where groups could chat, a Calendar and an area to share ideas on. A disadvantage of GoogleDoc offline, is that you cannot create documents offline; only fix ones that have already been created. With GoogleDoc, you can publish your work, collaborate, import and export your work however creating a new document is not possible.

The question I ask every time I evaluate a communication technology is "Will we be better without it?". The answer to this question is no. With a technology that can be used offline it makes it better for everyone to have their work in any type of connection failure. Especially when your interviewing and have prepared a presentation for potential bosses. GoogleDoc offers online ,and offline help which many Internet based applications have not offered. Despite the system requirements and size limits, many computers are within the requirements. This is the one technology I've found that is perfect for schools as well. Allowing teachers to edit and grade all in one trustworthy application.

Telemedicine

High priority

by Samantha Justino

There are many different types of organizations all over the world. Fraternities, sororities, and businesses are all considered organizations. However, hospitals are rarely referred to as organizations. Anyone that has entered a hospital knows that it is easy to lose communication with one of the nurses or doctors due to the volume of patients. Some people are left waiting for hours just to get questions answered, some are left in waiting areas all day, just to be seen once. Now there is a new technology that is being developed to alleviate these type of issues. This new communication technology is called a Telemedicine program.

As technical infrastructure begins to advance this program begins to surface as a possible way to give patients more efficient, clinical consultations. Telemedicine will be conducted through videoconferencing. "Video conferencing can provide healthcare organizations with innovative ways to deliver clinical consultations explore) The formation of this new communication technology has been geared toward certain locations such as prisons. This is where many healthcare organizations can make more money. Creating a videoconferencing technology in which inmates will be connected to a healthcare center, so to speak.

This communication technology does come with its advantages and disadvantages. Economically it would be favorable toward the healthcare organizations. This could also increase efficiency in how hospitals and clinics function. Just the other day I was trying to see my doctor at Montefiore medical center in the Bronx. Due to the high volume of patients that they tend to on a day to day basis, I was not even able to go in as an emergency walk-in; which should always be available to any patient in need. If Montefiore, for example had virtual clinical consultations, I perhaps wouldn't have waited 2 hours for a negative response from a phlebotomist. Perhaps with the virtual consultations, I could've gotten my answers from a nurse or doctor themselves, at their desk or looked up the FAQ's of clinical consultations. This telemedicine program could save time, and energy. You can explain thoroughly to a specialist of what your problems are rather than decide, alone whether it's worth going to see a professional for.

The disadvantages would be if the program reaches a great level of success. This would mean that less staff would be needed in health centers. The elimination of small communication nodes would begin because clinical consultations could be handled by nurses or doctors, or even just one node that could handle the virtual aspect of the center themselves. These virtual clinics could save people a lot of time and possible save lives; the lives that have anxiety about walking into the doctors office. However, this program could reach a certain level of success and then stop and a standstill. People without any form of computer technology in there homes will not be able to use virtual clinics. What is the use of creating another communication technology if it will not increase the patient volume and help the community? Those who do not have home offices might as well do what I did this past weekend; wait for a nurse to call.

I would give this communication technology, a 3 out of 5 on a 5 point scale. I believe it is an innovative idea that could possibly change how healthcare organizations function. However if it does not benefit more people after it has been implemented then it is not necessary to utilize it. It will eliminate jobs in the organizations and not function unless you are technologically able.

Del.icio.us

Del.icio.us is a social book marking website. It can be found at http://del.icio.us/. This website was was created in 2003 and in 2005 purchased by Yahoo! This site is very convenient. Most people keep bookmarks on their PC's, however, when they switch computers they do not have access to the websites they have bookmarked. Del.icio.us fixes this problem. With Del.icio.us you are able to bookmark your favorite sites and access them from any computer with internet access. You are also able to share sites you've bookmarked with other people.

This can be very helpful in an organization. Because this website allows you to share your bookmarks people within an organization can share their bookmarks. This can be helpful for linking information needed for projects or other tasks people may be working on collectively.

Affordances:
-easy to find information you are looking for
-collaborative, use what others have found
-keeps track of websites for you

Though, this technology is really helpful I did find a couple of drawbacks while using the system. The main drawbacks are that you must use the Firefox browser. It is not compatible with Internet Explorer. Though, Firefox is quickly becoming the browser of choice, even if you are using Firefox you are still required to install an extension. This limits the access power you can have on different computers. However, if all the installations are complete the website is very effective in communicating web information to many different people.

Overall I would rate this technology a 3 out of 5.

The Eco-Media Player

by Amanda Marinaccio

www.ecomediaplayer.com/eco/home/hom.asp
The Eco-Media Player is a portable devise similar to an mp3 player, but with much more. It allows for and has the capability to play mp3s, videos, FM radio access, and a photo-viewer. It also features a recorder (with a built-in microphone) so personal or professional memos can be recorded instantly. It can also hold typed memos and contains data storage. This allows for the devise to hold work in a personal devise that is able to go everywhere with you, providing for work on the go while enjoying the other features. Other things included are a flashlight and cell phone charging capabilities. The best part of the Eco-Media Player is that it is able to be powered by winding, so it will never die of battery failure or loss of power. It is able to be charged for longer amounts of time through a computer, but can be wound up on the go when an energy source is not found readily available. It is compatible with most major cell pones as well so all a person has to do it plug in their phone and wind up the Eco-Media Player.
These are many of the advantages, but there are also many apparent disadvantages. This devise is not wireless and therefore does not allow for internet or mobile phone capabilities. This is a major disadvantage in today’s day and age for many corporations that need contact in and out of the office. The devise is also expensive for the capabilities included, presumably because it is energy efficient. However, I feel that in place of ipods and other mp3 players for personal enjoyment, this is a way to combine work with pleasure for many people.

Window's Movie Maker

By Dean Smith

Windows Movie Maker 2.0

Windows Movie Maker is a video creating and editing software that runs off Microsoft Windows. It contains features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track, timeline narration, and Auto Movie.

The advantage with this technology can allow for anyone within an organization or a business to make a very easy and simple visual tool during meetings or interviews. It also allows creaters to advertise their products easily.
The disadvantages of using this is definatly the patience required because as easy as it is to make a video it is time consuming.

Overall i'd give this a 3 on the usefullness scale due to the minor flaws within the technology.

Audeo wireless “Think N’ Spell” neckband

Audeo wireless “Think N’ Spell” neckband
http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/13/audeo-think-n-spell-neckband-allows-voiceless-phone-calls/

This neckband is a new way to communicate by not even having to speak to make phone calls. This is a wireless phone that is simply able to read the signals sent from your brain to your vocal cords and send the message through a phone call. This is technology is in the early development phase and is not completed to the full expectations that it should have in the near future. The advantages of this technology at this point in time are to give back speech to those who have lost the ability to communicate and also to give more privacy to a speaker when having a conversation in a public area. The disadvantages are that this system can only recognize about 150 words and it has a considerable delay time that when shown in the press conference to be an awkward and slow conversation. Still this should be enough to give a chance for people who have been limited in their ability to speak such as those suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease. It will be a great improvement on the current situations. In the future this product claims it will be able to express all words and eventually be able to hook up to the internet and allow you to answer questions merely by thinking about the question and the neckband will do the searching for you to try and answer it. For rating this new invention I give it a 4 because even though it is at the initial phase of its creation I believe it will advance into something that can have limitless possibilities.

Kartoo

http://www.kartoo.com/

Kartoo is a new type of meta search engine that we have never had before. This site searches using the most of search engines, such as Alta Vista and Teoma, except Google. The biggest characteristic of this site is showing the search results as beautiful map using Flash. In this map, we can show many kinds of image sizes of each result and it tells us the size of actual site. And the distance between each site tells us how close the each site is. We can know these things visually, not seeing lists as other typical search engines.

This site is meta search engine, using other engines, so we can search something in almost all search engines through this engine. And we can look at the search results visually. It is very clear to understand which one is biggest (or famous) and how each site is related each other. We can know them visually, it is very useful when you need search something in specific area because you can know the relationship in between each result. But if you want search general or broad thing, it might be not so appropriate. In that case we would better to use other normal engines such as, Google, Yahoo! And Alta Vista. This site can be really useful or nothing at all. It really depends on what you would like to search, so I would give it 3.8 out of 5.