Digital Media World Gets Spooky!

Digital media is involved in our daily lives and, if you are like me, you don’t even realize it. It all just becomes a normal occurrence in your day. Personally, I feel  that digital media gets extremely apparent around the holidays and around the time of special occasions. In honor of this time of year, I wanted to talk about digital media and how it is incorporated with one of my favorite holidays, Halloween! Below I will talk about how digital media can contribute to getting all of us in the Halloween spirit. (These are just suggestions that I've grown accustomed to or thought others would think are pretty neat.)

#1: SOCIAL NETWORKS

Facebook is big in amping up the Halloween spirit! Based on your friends and pages that you “liked,” Facebook can help show you different ways to celebrate. It can inform you of the cool events that will occur, such as haunted houses, concerts, and parties. Also, many  people are just dying to show off their costume to all of their friends. With sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. you can upload pictures straight from your phone and other devices to all these social networks and look forward to seeing what everyone thinks.

#2 COSTUME IDEAS/HUNTING

Going out to Halloween stores is always a fun experience all in its own. But if you are like me, sometimes the stores in town just don’t have what you’re looking for. Perhaps you want to be more original or lessen the chance of having the same costume as someone else when you go out. In this case, the internet comes in handy big time! As mentioned before social networks help during this time of year and it is possible to get your ideas from them. With technology being as advanced as it is and continuing to grow, Halloween shopping can be a whole lot easier. There are plenty of websites with costumes to buy online, some with great deals. Or lets just say that you don’t really wish to spend money on a costume this year. Ideas are all over the internet for easy costumes you can put together from typical clothing and prop items that many people are presumed to have already just lying around.

#3 THINGS TO WATCH

Movies, shows, and other types of videos are a great way to engage in the Halloween spirit. Going to a movie theater to see a scary movie is super fun. It is known that many horror movies come out around this time of year on purpose which attracts huge audiences. The Paranormal Activity movies are an example of ongoing films that have been coming out every year; for the past four years in fact. Cable television also has great horror movie marathons in October like the Halloween movies, Nightmare on Elm Street movies, Friday the 13th movies, and the list goes on and on. Also, the Food Network always has great Halloween specials every year where people like Emeril and Paula Deen demonstrate how to make fun meals and treats that exhibit the Halloween themes. Needless to say October is such an amazing month of movie and television madness, you wont want to get off your couch! Also, you can watch videos on Youtube or other websites that show previews of haunted houses! Those are a must see if you are interested in a little scare. This video below is a preview for Halloween Horror Nights 2012, a huge haunted house experience.

#4 APPS TO DOWNLOAD

If you have an Android phone or iOS devices, then there are so many apps to download to add to your Halloween experience. Here’s just a handful of them that I found great and helpful.

• Costumes for Halloween: Again, if you are having trouble coming up with and finding a Halloween costume then download this app. You can literally just shake your phone and it will suggest a costume for you. As well, it displays plenty of pictures of costumes for you to choose from. (Android)
• HauntFinder: If you love haunted houses, then you will appreciate this app! This informs you of all the spookiest haunted attractions within 200 miles of your location and gives you directions as well! (iOS)
• Trick or Treating: Using this app you can map out you and your children’s trick or treating routes and have it guide you all with GPS navigation. (iOS)
• AT&T Family Map: This is a convenient app which can be used to enable parents to check the location of their children while they are out trick or treating. (Android)

There are also multiple apps for downloading Halloween music soundtracks and sound effects that can be used for parties and homemade haunted houses!

So as you can see, the digital media world encourages holidays, like Halloween, adding extra excitement to everyone’s experience! I consider most of these tradition when it comes to my Halloween experience. What about everyone else? Is anyone else incorporating as much of the digital media world into their holidays?

Happy Halloween DIG2000!

-Shannon Pitt

Should There Be Age Restrictions on Online Play?

After a long, tiring day of retail work, I usually like to wind down by playing some online Team Death match on Modern Warfare 3 or Black Ops. Or Zombies, whatever I am in the mood for! Unfortunately, it seems that more often than not, once I get connected to a host I end up right in the middle of a big argument between a few of the players. There is cursing between two grown men, one was camping while the other was trying to find him. And then, way in the background of the fighting with their microphone turned down is a little ten year old boy who is cursing at everyone, or he is the one in the middle of the fight!

Shouldn't there at least be some kind of age restriction for online play? Like how the PS2 was for DVDs back in the day. You had to put in a code for parental controls if it was over a certain rating. It is seriously more annoying than anything else to sit and play, then listen to some kid in his microphone scream at the top of his lungs as he starts to throw a fit, "SHUT THE **** UP, MOM. I DON'T WANT A SANDWICH!" And then carry on from there with more complaining and cursing.

It is not even the violence of the game or anything that is the problem, but as soon as kids get online and turn on their microphones, it is another story. Of course there always is an option to "mute" the other players. It is a Godsend. But, once you've migrated to a new host, here comes more of the little kids fighting and trying to act all tough.

In the past, there had always been a lot of controversy over ratings, which is probably where the problem starts. It is not usually a sales clerks’ fault; it's the parent's for being uneducated on what their child is getting. That, or maybe they just don't care; which is sometimes the case. And if they latter is the case, then that is really sad. I would never want my children to be online bothering other people when they're so young and immature. It sounds mean, but it really does get annoying really fast. I think that if you are under a certain age, you should not be trusted with a microphone to play online with.

Kindle vs Nook

Lets compare the Kindle against the Nook!! I have a huge love for reading books and will encourage anyone to start reading. E-readers are the best way to do that! I'm not doing any kind of research. I'm just going to use my experience with both devices. I had a Kindle for a few months and just recently invested in the Nook. Truthfully, both devices do exactly the same thing. They encourage people to read more books, which, in turn, builds a better vocabulary.
My first e-reader was the Kindle Keyboard. The set-up was smooth and the Kindle app for the computer was very user-friendly. The Kindle was very easy to use and very fast. It connected to the internet without any problems. However, stick to simple websites or the Amazon site and don't add a lot of books. It will slow the device down and cause it to freeze.
Amazon offers great deals on the website as well. Buying a membership allows you to "borrow" books for free and has great deals on books. Most of them are under $9.99. Also, Amazon has come down with their prices with the Kindles. I paid $115 for my Kindle, which now costs only $99. They also have different styles to choose from, the newest one being the Kindle Fire. I believe it is a great buy for the amount of money spent!
I gave my Kindle to my sister, who shares the same love for reading, and bought the Nook Simple Touch Reader. I fell in love with it immediately. It is an e-ink touch screen with wi-fi capabilities. It is smaller than the Kindle and just as fast. Same goes for the websites visited on the Nook, though. Heavy sites, like Facebook, will slow it down and possibly make it freeze. One feature the Nook has over the Kindle is the settings. You can adjust the size of the words and the display of the screen.
The Nook app is much more difficult to maneuver. I could never get it to connect to my device and I didn't like the setup of the app itself. The Kindle app was much more user-friendly than the Nook app. I also had to download a converter program for my Kindle files. Nook can only support certain formats, like PDF or EPUB. The Kindle can support all formats. If you decide to go with the Nook and have formats other than those supported, go to www.calibre-ebook.com and download the program. It will convert those files into formats supported by the e-reader.
There are also other e-readers to choose from. Do not limit yourself to just the two biggest names. Research ALL brands and choose the one you think fits you best. I do encourage you to invest in an e-reader. Its a great way to read not just one book but many at one time. It is much easier to keep up with books, rather than dealing with hard copies.

YOUTUBE: Entertaining, Educational and Sometimes Misleading

I was probably 50 years young before I knew Youtube existed and then only because my son sent me a Youtube video of him wakeskating in the bay like this one http://youtu.be/CEEkTAMhHzM.  After that I might periodically get an email with a funny video but didn’t give it much thought of where it came from. It wasn’t until I met back up with a guy from highschool that I had not seen in 35 years that I truly was enlightened by all the Youtube possibilities.

Once Kenny and I started dating I noticed he was on the computer a lot when I was at his house.  Hmmm, I thought what is he looking at? Was it good or bad? So I started looking over his shoulder and watching.  Soon I realized that he was watching videos on Youtube.  You see Kenny is a surfer and he also builds custom surfboards to sell.  Much to my amazement, I saw that not only was he able to watch videos of people surfing like this one http://youtu.be/HpvTlhGGZaA   but he could also watch how-to videos on different shapes and techniques for surfboards like this one http://youtu.be/TOaZpzNbBk4.  Well if he can watch surf videos then I must be able to watch quilting videos.  So the search began, I starting exploring and soon found out that this YouTube thing could be very educational.

It doesn’t stop with just educational stuff.  I also found some very entertaining videos.  My favorite is the one I found of the college guys singing Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” http://youtu.be/MTnmbnEYJgc. I must admit these guys are just as good as she is and just as strange. If you don’t watch any other video in this blog you must watch these guys.  I laughed till I cried.

Watchers beware: there are definitely some fakes on the site.  Some I may feel is fake but you may believe are real, or maybe I think they are real and you think they are fake. I’ll let you decide for yourself. Like this one of the guy being attacked by a killer whale coming on to the water’s edge and attacking him. http://youtu.be/HgxvI5OAwck

So as you can see YouTube has a wide variety of videos to watch.  It just depends on if you are looking for educational, some entertainment, or just one of those video you have to figure out whether it’s real or fake.  No matter what I search for I am always amazed at what you can find on Youtube like this video on Digial Media Revolution. http://youtu.be/ZE5bncAEhSQ

Paula Cox

Dig2000

Music Everywhere

When I think of computers and music, only one thing immediately comes to mind...iTunes.  Today, with the recent death of Steve Jobs the founder of Apple and many other inventions, such as the iPod, the iPad, the iPone and iTunes, it brings home how much he revolutionized the way we live day to day.

          Being an owner of an iPod, I go to the computer to buy my music.  iTunes changed the way we buy and share music, and now crosses over into movies, books and television.  I listen to my iPod every single day.  When I paint, do my homework, chores, almost everything I do I have music playing in the background.  No longer do I have to drive to the store to buy a cd, I just sit on my couch, browse iTunes and download.  I buy a much larger amount of music because of the accessibility of iTunes.  And I do it legally.

          Steve Jobs was a pioneer of technology. An artist.  A visionary.  He made one of the first personal computers and constantly sought to continue to make life easier and more entertaining for us all.  The outpouring of love for him immediately after his death shows how many people he affected and how much he will be missed.  Computers brought music into our home. Steve Jobs brought music everywhere else as well.  Work, school, shopping, running, cooking, cleaning, painting, biking, hiking... anywhere.

Krista Oneisom
dig2000

Having Fun With Nickjr.com

While being a husband and father of six children, it is almost impossible to ex scape the enticing bait that t.v shows provide. From off the wall reality shows; to adult cartoons, it seems that television is continuing to move far away from educational shows. Shows that teach kids valuable learning tools such as: Sesame Street, Electric Company, and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood to name a few. These shows teach kids how to count, read, and use their imagination. I am glad to say that through digital media I have found an outlet of ex scape for my kids called nickjr.com. Through creative interactive web program like nickjr.com which is a web site for Nickelodeon kids are giving access to valuable tools.


Nickjr.com is a good digital media tool because it allows them to interact with some of their favorite characters and shows from Nickelodeon. Instead of sitting in front of a hypnotizing show tube, nickjr.com thru provoking games that challenges kids to actively use their minds and have fun at the same time. For example there are games that enhance memory and problem solving skills. There are painting games that help kids familiarise themselves with using colors to paint their favorite characters and objects. The good thing about that is if they do not like the colors they have chosen, they can always be erased instead of completely starting over. Nickjr.com also provides some of the same shows as seen on t.v but watching them on the computer gives a on-demand type of feel.

Nickjr.com helps teach kids to familiarise themselves with using the key pad and mouse of a computer. The programs are broken down into sections which range from shows, games, and learning exercises. The only down side that I have found with nickjr.com is not the site, but trying to pry away my kids from the computer once they have logged in.

Challenging kids of today to think carefully, be creative, and to use their own imagination seems to be a lost priority in todays society. With the help of web sites like nickjr.com all hope is not lost. Thanks to digital media, futuristic learning is only fingertips away. Overall nickjr.com recieves two thumbs up for being a lighthouse in a age of dark television.

Twitter: Changing the World

@Jack : One could change the world with one hundred and forty characters.

       On February 8th 2007, a small crowd of family and friends read online that exact, simple "tweet". It was on that day Jack Dorsey and his companions realized that Twitter would redefine communications and become one of the most important forms of social media in the world. Indeed, I believe Twitter has changed the world. It has joined together people from all walks of life.Tony Hawk, the Dalai Lama, Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, Pope Benedict XVI, your cousin and the peacock that escaped from the Bronx Zoo in New York all "tweet". My dogs even have a Twitter account! Yep, I went there. The real beauty of Twitter that brings people together is that it is so simple. Fast and easy real-time updates in the coveted one hundred and forty character form are sent directly to your cell phone via text message; no smart phone needed! This is good news because according to a new study by PEW Internet and American Life Project, only 35% of all cell phone owners sport a smart phone. Pew Internet Study  Twitter's short format messages insure that no text goes beyond a one page viewing area on a cell phone. This design is perfect for pay per text plan users or plans with small data packages. You can complete your messages with a picture or have a real-time location added to your "tweet" thanks to Twitpic and Google Maps.
       During the 2008 elections, Twitter changed how Americans kept up with their favorite candidates. Canidiates and their parties heavily used social media tools to keep track of their followers, answer questions, organize campaign events and keep tabs on the competition. Even though Twitter was fairly new to the general public, Barack Obama's total Twitter followers numbered 118,107 during his campaign giving him a landslide Twitter victory over John McCain who only had 4,942 followers. The 2012 elections are sure to generate a lot of tweets since many of the candidates have already started Twitter accounts for their campaigns. Social media Obama vs McCain
       Twitter also changed the way that the world receives breaking news, news from space and disaster alerts. On May 12th 2009, the first space tweet from Mike Massimino @astro_mike was sent and NASA has been hooked ever since. Astronauts have tweeted pictures of the Aurora Australis dancing above the Earth. They also captured the furious Sarychev Peak volcano eruption and relayed information to help Air Traffic Control in the area. When the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, news broadcasters and ordinary people were updating everyone through Twitter. In the aftermath, people on Twitter and Facebook organized relief efforts, reunited loved ones and kept distant family members connected with up to the minute information. Recently during Hurricane Irene, government officials, the Red Cross and FEMA asked people to reduce the burden on phone services by instead tweeting. CNET NEWS  This kept the phone lines available for emergency workers. With one hundred and forty characters, I believe Twitter has definitely changed the world.
       

Teen's & Digital Media.

            I tell you what, the teenager's now-a-days have it made. Between the cell phones, computers, games, and even the television they hardly ever have to become creative to know what to do to keep them occupied. Sometimes this can be good but sometimes it can all be a thorn in your side and make you wished they would've never been invented. As a mother of 5 teenagers I can say that with full honesty. Take cell phones for example, as a kid growing up I remember seeing people with cell phones but they were huge and carried in what looked like a suitcase and it was unusual to see a teenager with one. Now, it's unusual to see a teenager without one. I love the fact that I can keep in touch with my kids at all times but I hate the fact that I have to worry about them getting into an accident because their talking or texting on the phone.

            Then there's computer's. This is an invention that I love but, at times, wished would've never been invented. As my kids were growing up I made sure they always had a computer so they could keep up with their school work and to use the different learning programs that I bought for them. It wasn't until my kids turned into teenagers that I started dreading this wonderful invention. I went from making sure they were learning and getting the most out of the computer, to making sure they're not learning things they're not suppose to be learning and that there's not some pervert trying to make them his next victim.

            And games? Wow, between the computer games, such as World of Warcraft, and the X-Box games, such as Halo Reach, I've really had a fight on my hands. My kids laugh at me all the time because I'll watch them play some of these games and all I can say is "whatever happened to Frogger?" My youngest son made me feel really old when he asked me what Frogger was. It wasn't until they became teenagers that I actually realized how much games have changed, especially the violence. The most violent game I can remember growing up was Astroids. But then again the most violent cartoon I remember growing up was Popeye and now they have cartoons like Courage the Cowardly Dog and Southpark.

            It really amazes me how much digital media has evolved just in the past few years, and although I get disappointed at times with some of the ways it's all used, overall I think we should still move forward and look outside the box when it comes to digital media but along with that I really hope that parents do the research on these advancements before they are introduced to their children. That will be the only way that parents can keep a good thing from turning bad.