NCAA March Madness Online

NCAA March Madness Online

Author JoeDigital | 25.03.2009 | Category Mac/Apple, Technology Viewpoint, Telecommunications

You have work to do but you really, really want to follow the March Madness. Right now, if you have a computer in your office or an iPhone that you can bring with you, then consider yourself lucky – because it’s never been easier to follow the event while you’re at work.

With the help of NCAA’s on demand March Madness site or the recently available March Madness iPhone application, you’ll be able to follow the games discretely in your office. The good thing about this whole ordeal this time around is that there are no registration hassles or any kind of queuing for that matter. In seconds your desktop is ready to stream the game play.

That’s not the only thing that’s changed, because we now get to watch everything using HD video player – say goodbye to choppy running and stuttering.

Now all you have to do is to focus on that old-age technique of switching windows every time your boss comes in to check in on you. Then again, what makes you think your boss isn’t doing it too?

Technorati Tags: NCAA, iphone, apple

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Apple Rumors Flying Again

Author JoeDigital | 20.03.2009 | Category Mac/Apple, Technology Viewpoint

Word has it that some manufacturer based in Taiwan will be making the touch screen panels for one of Apple’s upcoming notebook which is said to be released into the market this coming year. Opinions are clashing as to both the validity of the manufacturing as well as the idea that Apple is making a notebook at all.

Starting out of a Chinese Commercial Times article and reprinted on the web, many figures have had their say on the matter. Engadget and ZDNet has expressed their doubts over the idea, saying that these rumors are merely the speculations of a hoping consumer group, while Silicon Alley Insider’s side thinks that there could be some truth to the matter, since Apple has expressed releasing products larger than the iPod touch, and that while it is not exactly what is rumored to be, the possible outcome may as well be similar to it.

Of course, we wouldn’t be having these rumors in the first place if it weren’t for the fact that Apple remains silent on the matter.

Technorati Tags: apple, notebook

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Top Innovations for 30 years

Author JoeDigital | 18.03.2009 | Category Innovation, Technology Viewpoint

After the coming up with a well studies compilation by the minds of the University of Pennsylvania, the Internet has been pegged as the top innovation to have been created since the last 30 years. While this isn’t an easy guess, one can’t be surprised at the result.

The list is followed by a couple more of the very obvious outcomes like the PC and laptop computers, cell phones or mobile phones, e-mail and DNA technology such as imaging and sequencing. But to get on with the top 20, here’s what was published by the New York Times:

1. Internet, broadband

2. PC and laptop computers

3. Mobile phones

4. E-mail

5. DNA testing and sequencing

6. Magnetic resonance imaging

7. Microprocessors

8. Fiber optics

9. Office software

10. Laser/robotic surgery

11. Open-source software

12. Light-emitting diodes

13. Liquid crystal display

14. GPS devices

15. E-commerce and auctions

16. Media file compression

17. Microfinance

18. Photovoltaic solar energy

19. Large-scale wind turbines

20. Internet social networking

Note that some of the technologies are “green” and medical technology, but most of the techs really do have something to do with the Internet. Perhaps this is why it’s the winner.

Technorati Tags: Top 20 Innovations

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One out of 100 PC have Malware

Author JoeDigital | 16.03.2009 | Category IT Security, Technology Viewpoint

Results from a recent extensive study by Panda Security – of the toughest anti-virus brands known on the Internet – show that 1% of all the computers in the world are affected and heavily tormented by malware.

Sure, 1% seems like a very small amount, but if you equate that to the actual number of PC and laptop computer users that are exposed to the Internet, we’re talking about millions of users falling victims to the evil deeds of malware.

The numbers only indicate that malware has really become a growing problem over the years. People are being robbed blind of their IDs and other confidential information that could either be used against them or in favor of those who take advantage of the unauthorized access. The worst common case scenario of an individual would be that he incurs financial losses due to stolen information, and that doesn’t take a genius to tell it’s bad.

So let this be a warning to readers out there: protect your computers and ultimately yourself from malware attacks.

Technorati Tags: malware statistics

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Social networking more Popular than Email

Author JoeDigital | 15.03.2009 | Category Computers, Consumer Electronics, Technology Viewpoint

Having to accommodate over millions of online patrons worldwide every single day, a report shows that social networking has become the second top surfer’s target since 2008, topping email that used to take the second spot right after the unbeatable search engines. As for the numbers (as provided by Nielsen Wire in their report), 67% of internet users go online for websites like Facebook and MySpace while 65.1% of that population use email.

Part of that report also indicated that for every fifteen minutes of browsing, most of us actually spend one minute crawling around Facebook or MySpace or some similar social networking site.

And it’s not just for kids, because even adults are making use of social networking sites nowadays. This widened scope of audience is probably one of the factors that boosted the rank of social networking in the report.

Lastly, this report simply goes to show that we spend more time on Facebook than we do checking our emails. That can say a lot about the present online surfing population.

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Wireless Call Service at $3?

Author JoeDigital | 14.03.2009 | Category Consumer Electronics, Technology Viewpoint

Do you know how much you are paying for the calls you make on your mobile phone? Most of you will probably answer $40 or something per month, because that’s how they bill you. But did you know that if you do the math, you could be very well paying for around $3 per minute in a wireless phone call?

This is what a study from San Diego’s Utility Consumers Action Network has revealed. Furthermore, it was pointed out that most users don’t even use 50% of the entire number of minutes that’s allotted to a subscriber (such as the 450 minutes for $40). That’s not even the worst of it, because some customers pay around $100 a month for unlimited service, thinking that they need it, when they unconsciously don’t.

While it’s not really for any single person to judge what are charged of customers, perhaps this little study can be an eye opener for consumers to start being more critical about their phone bills and start demanding some changes.

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79th International Motor Show: Geneva 2009

Author JoeDigital | 12.03.2009 | Category Technology Viewpoint, automobile

After its successful culmination last year, it looks like the International Motor Show is back for the 79th time in Geneva this 2009. It’s been going on since March 5 and will be showing until the 15th.

The International Motor Show is the largest motor show in the world, where biennially commercial cars from all over the world manufactured by their respective companies are introduced, flaunted and exposed to the largest consumer population – the entire world.

And like all the international car shows that were held before, the 79^th International Motor Show: Geneva 2009 is not without surprises. This year will be the first time when manufacturers will be given special venues to showcase their electric cars as well as cars that are powered by alternative methods. The motor show will also be airing its television show on the web this coming March – a concept brought out only this year.

Those are just a few of the many wonderful things that the show will feature for the first time this year to awe over 270,000 welcomed guests.

Opening hours for the show from the 5^th to the 15^th are 10:00AM-8:00PM from Monday to Friday and 9:00AM-7:00PM on Saturday and Sunday. Ticket prices vary for adults and children, and discounts are offered for group rates of 20 people. For more information, check out the show’s official website.

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Legacy Locker: Your Passwords in Your Will

Author JoeDigital | 11.03.2009 | Category Technology, Technology Viewpoint

Talk about modern afterlife – there’s this new website called Legacy Locker that serves its online clients by keeping their most precious passwords, profiles and user accounts so that when the owner passes away, these information can be brought over to the people you have assigned in your will.

Now that everybody’s going online, it has indeed become overlooked as to what actually happens to online user accounts that belong to users who have died, considering that most online networks don’t delete accounts just because they are dormant and they have no way of determining if the user for this one is still alive.

With Legacy Locker, one finally has a way of making sure that all their money in their PayPal account goes to the right people (if at all) when the time comes when you can’t use them anymore. The security can also be used for social network profiles and online community accounts.

The only question left is whether you can actually trust a third party with such confidential information. That’s something that is yet to be revealed.

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Softbank Promotes iPhone with Major Discounts

Author JoeDigital | 11.03.2009 | Category Mac/Apple, Technology Viewpoint

If you’re looking for an easy catch with the iPhone 3G, then you might find what you’re looking for in Japan. Sometime near the end of February 2009, Softbank Mobile Corporation launched the “iPhones for Everybody Campaign”, where the present costs of this great handset is reduced for those who avail of their program which will last from Feb. 27 to May 31.

Basically, a customer will just need to sign up for an installment plan which, overall, will reduce the payment of the 16 GB model of the iPhone to JPY 11,520, which would be paid at JPY 480 per month for 24 months (for US buyers, that’ll be approximately $118). In addition to this, subscribers will also be given a big discount on the communication service from JPY 5,985 to JPY 4,410 per month.

If you want to avail of these benefits, all you have to do is to sign up for their two-year “White Plan” contract.

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UK Study: Texting helps Language Skills

Author JoeDigital | 06.03.2009 | Category Technology Viewpoint

True enough there have been studies in the past that the trend of sending text messages can actually deteriorate one’s skill in language, specifically because of the use of “shortcut” messages when sending SMS. But recently a UK research finding shows the exact opposite – that texting actually helps improve and develop reading skills.

The findings were based on a sample of 88 children between the ages 10 and 12 and their texting habits. According to the study, what happens is that children are actually aware that the contractions or shortcuts they are making are not the proper usage of language and that these instances are only common in texting. When asked to make essays for their homework, the children don’t show any signs of applying these illegitimate word shortcuts in their output.

Moreover, the fact alone that children actually enjoy texting means that they will be exposed to communication more. After all, we tend to learn and improve when we’re doing something we enjoy.

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