Technology is changing so quickly that it is often difficult for tutors to keep up to date with everything and they often find themselves lagging behind their learners!

To help overcome this problem I have gathered together on this page information about new and upcoming developments. You will find a couple of praragraphs about different aspects of the newest technology and its applications; usually just enough information to bring you up to speed.

The subjects are listed below and you can click on them to jump to the right place on the page. The list is quite small al the moment so if there is anything that you would like to see included let me know by emailing the manager of this page gclarke@ccm.ac.uk

Blog

Blog is an abbreviation of weblog. A weblog is a journal, diary or literally a log that is published on the interent and is intended for general public consumption.

Blogs are usually updated regularly on a monthly, weekly or even daily basis. The activity of updating a blog is known as "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is referred to as a "blogger."

Since blogs are personal and informal they normally reflect the views and personalities of their their authors. They are often seen as a kind of hybrid diary containing a mixture of what is happening in a person's life along with thoughts, comments, and philosophies on a huge range of subjects. There can be as many unique blogs as there are unique people.

In the past, anyone who knew how to create and publish a Web page could publish their own blog but the process has been made much easier since some web hosts created pages specifically for bloggers. Here, bloggers can simply type their text entry and hit "publish" to publish or update their blog People maintained blogs long before the term was coined, but the trend really gained in popularity with the introduction of these automated publishing systems. (Particularly that at blogger.com.)

Because the software allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain a blog many people (often young children as well as adults) have found a new presence on the Web.

Most blogs will be found in reverse chronological order (with the most recent comments first) and many of them now enable visitors to post their own comments. This interactivity between the blogger and their readers has widened their appeal greatly and blogs now feature dialogue on a bewildering variety of subjects.

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Bluetooth Basics

Bluetooth wireless technology is a short-range communications technology used to replace the cables connecting portable or fixed devices while maintaining high levels of security.The key features of Bluetooth technology are its reliability, low power requirement and low cost. The technology defines a common structure for a wide range of devices to enable them to connect and communicate with each other and has achieved almost global acceptance. This acceptance is so extensive that any Bluetooth enabled device, almost everywhere in the world, can connect to other Bluetooth enabled devices in range.

These electronic devices connect and communicate wirelessly through short-range, ad hoc networks known as piconets. Each device can simultaneously communicate with up to seven other devices within a single piconet; and each device can belong to several piconets simultaneously. Piconets are established dynamically and automatically as Bluetooth enabled devices enter and leave radio proximity.

A fundamental strength of this technology is the ability to simultaneously handle data and voice transmissions. This enables users to enjoy a variety of innovative solutions such as a hands-free headset for voice calls, printing and fax capabilities, and synchronizing PDA, laptop, and mobile phone applications.

The range at which Bluetooth devices operate depends upon the class of the device:

Class 3 devices have a range of 1 meter (3 feet).
Class 2 devices have a range of 10 meters (30 feet). Class 2 devices are by far the most common.
Class 1 devices have a range of 100 meters (300 feet). Class 1 devices are used primarily in industrial settings.

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The Advantages of Bluetooth Technology

  1. It is a simple choice for convenient, wire-free, short-range communication between devices.
  2. It is becoming a globally available standard that wirelessly connects mobile phones, portable computers, cars, stereo headsets, MP3 players, and other devices.
  3. There is no need to install driver software because Bluetooth devices incorporate a unique concept of “profiles.”
  4. The technology is now available in its fourth version and is therefore well tested. The most recent version of the specification builds upon these inherent strengths; low power, low cost, built-in security, robustness, ease-of-use, and ad hoc networking abilities.
  5. Manufacturers from many industries are busy integrating the technology in their products to reduce the clutter of wires and make seamless connections. The technology operates in the 2.4 GHz which is one of the unlicensed industrial, scientific, medical (ISM) radio bands. As such, there is no cost associated with its use beyond the initial cost of your device.
  6. The technology is becoming available in an unprecedented range of applications from mobile phones to automobiles, lap top computers to medical devices; for use by individual consumers, industrial markets, and a whole range of other enterprises.
  7. The low power consumption, small size and low cost of the chipset enables Bluetooth technology to be used in the tiniest of devices.
  8. The technology is an ad hoc technology that requires no fixed infrastructure and is simple to install and set up. You don't need wires to get connected. The process for a new user is easy; you buy a Bluetooth branded product, check the profiles available and connect it to another device with the same profiles. The subsequent PIN code process is as easy as when you identify yourself at the ATM machine. When out-and-about, you carry your personal area network (PAN) with you and can even connect to others.

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Podcasts

Podcasts are audio programmes; as simple as that! They are radio-style audio programmes that have been recorded and “published” to the web.

Anyone can produce and publish a podcast. Because of this they range from very slick, professional programmes produced by big television networks to simple home-recorded conversations between a couple of people. The ease with which they can be made also accounts for the fact that they now cover a vast variety of different subjects, indeed many podcasts are regularly updated and almost operate as a broadcast series on the radio.

You do need to have expensive, state-of-the-art recording studios or expensive software or sound mixing boards in order to produce podcasts. All that you need to make a podcast of your own is:

“Something to say” can quite literally be anything from a formal lecture to a rant or complaint about poor service.

Once your equipment and script are ready you can start the two activities that are engaged in podcasting. First, your podcast can be recorded on the computer in the form of an MP3 audio file; and second, it can be published to the web or made available to anyone who wishes to download and listen to it.

Podcasting software is widely and freely available on the internet but one of the better resources sites for this sort of activity can be found at: www.podcastingnews.com

Finally, they are called podcasts because they originated and were popularised by users of the Apple Mac iPod; today, they can be produced, uploaded, downloaded and listed to on any computer with an internet connection.

Social Networking

Social networking is the phrase being used to describe a range of interactions between individual web-users. This interactivity has grown dramatically in recent years giving rise to a range of social networking sites including Bebo, Friendster, Facebook and Myspace. Tools that have made it simpler to post text, photos, music and video on to the internet have turned social networking into an online phenomenon and made it much more significant than just a means of idle chit chat or blogging.

The key point here is that for the first time individuals have the power to control the content of the web and this is a crucial step for creative individuals such as authors, film-makers and musicians. This is an extremely powerful tool and people are only just beginning to grasp how effective it can be. Anyone can now publish their work straight to the web but the biggest impact has been in the music industry particularly since Myspace decided to include music when the site was launched in 2003. Myspace has been hugely successful and many artists have clearly demonstrated that social networking is an effective means of self-promotion.

The only way to really understand social networking is to experience it for yourself but here is a very simple guide to what is involved. You chose the networking site that you would like to use and sign up for a free account. This will usually give you a username and a password. Next you can expect to see a blank form where you are asked to create your profile; in other words provide a brief description of yourself. This may include your gender, age, location, interests, reasons for joining and who you would like to meet on the site. You may also have the opportunity to include photographs of yourself, examples of your work, music or even video.

Once all of this is done your profile is uploaded and other users of the site will be able to see your profile and you will be able to see their profiles. The sites usually have a search facility allowing you to look for people with similar interests; when you find someone you can click a button that says something like "Add as Friend". Once you do this, you and that person have a connection on the website; they are a member of your network, and you are a member of theirs. But it goes beyond that simple connection because you can see who your friends know, and who your friends' friends know. You're no longer a stranger and you can contact this extended network with ease.

Social networking sites make possible myriad inter-connections between people. Just like a road map, your network of friends can help you get to your next destination which may be a job, a partner, a place to live, an idea for a painting, inspiration for a piece of music... the possibilities are endless.

Important note: for various reasons, both technical and legal, some social networking sites cannot be accessed from College machines. The exception is Myspace which is always accessible.

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