#Technologytuesday

Years ago we could only fathom the ideas of having a car that drove itself, a video phone, and robots. These days, all of these concepts are now a reality and we couldn't imagine a world without them (or maybe we could but let's face it, who wants to do that?) Every day there are concepts that will become reality in the next decade, but with such a wide timeline, how likely do you think they are to exist?

The Nokia Morph

The Nokia Morph was the first technological concept that intrigued me. The concept was first proposed in February 2008 by the Finnish company Nokia. Nokia is commonly known for it's TI-83 sized cell phones which were equipped with the best thing since sliced bread, Snake. Nokia proposed that this new product (which does not have an expected release date as the product is non-existential at this time) would have features such as:

* Devices become self-cleaning and self-preserving* Transparent electronics offering an entirely new aesthetic dimension* Built-in solar absorption might charge a device, whilst batteries become smaller, longer lasting and faster to charge* Integrated sensors might allow us to learn more about the environment around us, empowering us to make better choices” 

Windowless Planes

A concept that was proposed fairly recently by CPI (Centre for Process Innovation) is illustrating an, essentially, "windowless plane".  To create this effect, CPI suggests lining the inside walls of the plane with "ultralight, ultra thin displays which display images from the outside of the plane". Not only because the idea is awesome was this concept imagined, but because it isn't as costly as what we have flying in the sky now. 

CPI says 80% of an aircraft's weight is due to fuel and the plane itself, so taking the windows out could save airlines on running costs. There's an approximate 0.75% fuel saving for every 1% reduction in weight, it says on its website.

Of course the feeling like you aren't protected by a wall is frightening, the idea sounds pretty rad.

The thought of new technological innovations being proposed every day is exciting for those who take an interest in the future and its gadgets. Technology is revolutionizing and as we continue to grow in our world, it makes the thought of the future that much more exciting. 

AT THE CAR DEALERSHIP:::READ ME

I can't make it to class today because I am at the car dealership and getting my oil changed because everyone and they baby mommas in Tampa Palms thought that it would be a good day to get their oil changed at 1:00pm today. Yes, I have been here since 1:00 but that's besides the point because I had enough time to think about something. I could actually show up to class if I face timed someone because technically I would be there virtually. (Heh, a tech blogger wants to go to class virtually) 

But yeah, wouldn't that be cool if maybe class was interactive like that in the near future? I get we have online classes but with the luxury of having a camera and video chat access on nearly everything, it could actually become plausible one day.

What do you think?! Talk to me because I know you guys have computers in front of you!

Kels

Siri Vs. Google Now Vs. Cortana

Apple's Siri, Google's Google Now, and Windows Phone's Cortana are the three voices of the most popular cell phone services out there right now. Each one is constantly improving and can be deemed extremely helpful at times but what are the differences between them and how do you determine which ones is better than the other? 

In an article I read (here) it states that each of the three devices were given an equal number of voice queries to respond to . Google's Google Now won by a long shot having an 88% success rate of having the answers answered correctly while Apple's Siri was next in line with a surprisingly low 53% and Windows Phone's Cortana was at the bottom of the barrel with a shocking 40%. 

A research study was carried out between two students (location unknown) and they ask a few simple questions for each of the devices. If you would like to see the video of the presentation, please click here. Beginning with Siri, Cortana, and then Google Now, some of the following questions were asked. 

1. What is the tallest mountain in the world?
1. Siri response was that she would "search for that" and provided a link to follow with the accurate response, being Mt. everest. 
2. Cortana responded with the same answer but spoke the answer directly to the consumer so they could utilize the hands free response. 
3. Google Now provided the answer to the question along with more information such as; location, height, and several other larger mountains in the world with the same type of information provided for the initial question. 
2. What does the Fox say?
1. Siri, whom is a smart-ass as we all know, had little to nothing to say about the inquiry the students had. Since I have Siri, I asked her myself to which she responded: 

                      1. A little vague but nevertheless she came up with a more descriptive answer than in   the study.

                      2. Cortana was asked next and her system responds with the same type of answer that I received from my inquiry but also provided some more information like the lyrics. 

                       3. Google Now was the most descriptive in her response by providing the link to the   Youtube video and also singing it to the user. 

         

A few other things to look at are; Voice recognition, and Helpfulness

For voice recognition it appears that Cortana and Google Now will lead in this category because they are built to understand fully what you say, and similar to autocorrect while texting, they will match what you are trying to say as closely as they can. Meanwhile, Siri goes off what she thinks she heard and sticks with it and mosre often than not, it leads to frustration and inaccurate results. 

For helpfulness we will, again, compare the three assistants and see which is more helpful. First, let's clarify the meaning of helpfulness that is trying to be portrayed here. While simple tasks like making an appointment, placing a call, or setting an alarm are useful things for an assistant to be able to do, we want to see helpfulness as being able to go above and beyond and provide us enough information to thoroughly understand what we are asking. 

With the exception of Siri, who is not helpful whatsoever, both Google Now and Cortana provide information that is helpful to us. Although Google Now is a little bit more in depth by providing maps, directions, websites, and phone numbers, Cortana still stands a chance by providing some information.

In conclusion, it's really up to the consumer which helpful assistant benefits their usage needs more. Personally, I have Siri and she's terrible but because I am an avid Apple user who doesn't want to switch to the Android platform, I'll stick it out. 

Animal tech

While having a pet is fun and interesting, the maintenance can somewhat be a hassle. If you have a cat then you are responsible for the well-being of that cat which includes(but not limited to); feeding, watering, and litter scooping. If you have a dog then you face similar responsibilities. How about the daunting task of cleaning a fish tank? For all who know what the upkeep of a fish tank involves, then you will surely understand. Maybe in your sponge bob 5-gallon tank it was no big deal but if you've ever had a larger,  say 55-gallon tank, then you may be able to relate. 

I've always had a particular interest for exotic animals that required a ton of maintenance so when I began my college career I still wanted to be surrounded by animals but knew that many housing options around the USF area would not be too keen on having bearded dragons, chinchillas, and hedgehogs around. With being limited to the types of animals I was permitted to house, I decided it was time to get a fish. So I brought a fair gold fish home and I named him flash. Flash was awesome but Flash turned out to be a pain in the ass. The maintenance alone was very time consuming and irritating, but since I aimed to be the best pet mom I could be, I dealt with it. 

On a daily basis it is required for fish owners to; regulate water temperatures, feed the fish, maintaining the equipment, tending to any plant life that may be used in the tank, and testing the water to ensure a safe habitat for your pet. On a weekly basis it is important to change out the water and determine wether or not you have an algae issue, and if so, take care of it. 

Because technology is improving every single day, it was only a matter of time before they came up with a self-sustaining water environment for fish to live in. So here is, Avo. Avo is the first aquarium to claim to be a "no-clean, self-maintaining" aquarium. 

The no-clean filter is self renewing which uses a biological plant and bacteria filter that keeps the water clean and chemical free. The natural filter system does not require any carbon or chemicals to remove the harmful toxins from the water. Between the fish waste, uneaten food, and dead plant residue filtering through the water, the levels of ammonia in the water (caused by these factors) is harmful to your fish. The Avo hosts a biological filter which turns the high concentrations of ammonia into nitrate, which plants absorb for food, fulfilling the Nitrogen cycle. 

The Avo comes equipped with it own pre-potted plants that are designed and ready to fit perfectly into the habitat and because of the unique LED lighting that the tank features, it contributes to the plants life as well as the fish by creating plenty of nitrifying bacteria and constant clean water. 

Due to the spherical shape of the Avo, the aquarium ensures 100% oxygenation of the water, providing a clean source of living for your animal. 

If you are interested in reading more (or pre-ordering) your unit, you can follow this link.

Technology and your health

It's obvious that i thoroughly enjoy technology and all the new inventions and tech gadgets that are being created in our modern world, but when I was able to incorporate technology AND fitness, my blood began pumping. I thoroughly enjoy running, exercising, and being active so when I was first introduced to tech gadgets that I could use while working out to track my progress, I was thrilled!

To name a few health associated tech gadgets we have; 

Fitbit

Nike FuelBand

Jawbone

Polar watches

Fitbug

Aria

X-box Kinect

Wii

Although many of these devices are similar to one another, each will offer something unique to bring to the table. The Fitbit, Nike Fuelband, Jawbone, and Fitbug all essentially track the amount of steps you take throughout the day with a few extra specs. For example, there are several styles of Fitbit from the; One, Flex, and Zip and while they all have similar jobs, they each differ in their own unique way. Each of the Fitbit styles will track your distance, steps, and calories burned all while syncing to computer or cell phones to allow you to track conveniently. They each are protected from "MINOR" water damages such as sweat, moisture, and simple splashes and they each are available with active food logging, goal setting, and trend tracking specs. Then you have your other devices such as the Nike Fuel Band and Jawbone which, essentially, perform the same tasks as the Fitbit models but differ in style. These are "bracelet" type devices where as opposed to clipping them on you, you wear them around your wrist. Some problems I have found with these models is their accuracy. If I spend my day typing a lot or working (which I am a bartender so my hands are constantly in motion) then is my device accurately tracking my steps?

I mentioned the Aria, which is actually a pretty neat device. Although it is not a pedometer of sorts, it syncs along with the Fibit products and is a scale that tracks weight and body fat percentage to keep you more motivated and breaks the news to you whether or not you are on target and meeting your goals. 

Aside from the step tracking world, we then have the (not so "newest") but neat-o cheeto game consoles that allow the consumer to be more active whilst playing a video game. A few consoles that allow this are Playstation( although only through certain games such as Dance Dance Revolution), X-Box Kinect, and the Ninetndo Wii. While the playstaion only offers very limited activity incorporated games, DDR is probably the most (personally) beneficial "weight loss" game I have ever played. 

**TRUE STORY** Once upon a summer in the year 2004, I was shipped off to Virginia for 6 weeks and I had nothing else to do other than sing frantically to Britney Spears' 'Stronger' album and try on my 21 year old cousins clothes....UNTIL i realized that I felt like a blob and couldn't fit into her size 2 pants and tiny t-shirts. It was a sad day which followed by feeding my emotions with a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream whilst watching Jawbreaker repeatedly. I wanted to find a way that I could slim down (I know, i'm 14 at this time and i'm worried about my weight...'murica) because I wanted to get in those damn jeans of hers so badly. I asked my Aunt to buy me DDR and then I got the ball rolling. Before I get too far off topic, I will conclude that that summer I managed to lose 10 pounds and although I still didn't fit into those jeans, I was able to get it up my thunder thigh for the time being. 

END RANT

The other consoles offer games such as Just Dance, Zumba fitness, UFC personal trainer, etc. and each of these games tack your progress by sensing each of the motions and determining your accuracy to whichever body motion they would like you to achieve. The only thing I have seen wrong with these types of games is that the motion sensor sometimes doesn't always keep up with you and even though it's a game (and you should be having fun) sometimes when you know that you did an EXCELLENT job and it says GOOD as your results, it'll make you want to toss the SOB.

As technology continues to expand, i'm confident that more health related gadgets will come of use in the future. 

Let's chat! Which (if any) devices have you used to optimize your health?