8. Mobile Phones 2014

Massive Confusion?

Phone makers: Yikes! Cell Phone Finder Cell Phone Carriers

CNet Best Phones  TechRadar Best Phones  Tom's Guide Best Phones Infographics

1. Pick a popular phone model that you know the LEAST about. List:  

          1. Model  

          2. Manufacturer/maker  

          3. Operating system  

          4. Service Carrier Options (Yep all of them) 

2. Describe the best or coolest features of this phone.  After learning about it.  Would you ever consider getting it?  Why?

3. Look at the infographics link. Gasp! Open up a few of the infographics.  Discover some fact that surprised you and share it.  

4.  What phone would you want if you could have any phone?

5.  What phone do you have now? 

I'm exhausted just thinking about all this!

READ THIS:  The links above are a guide.  There are NEWER and OLDER phones than listed in the links.  Feel free to do your own independent research! Just make sure it's a somewhat popular phone available in Arizona!

No repeats!  There are way too many phones out there!  So NO CREDIT will be given for repeats!  Read the posts of the people before you when picking your phone choice. 

7. Tablets 2014

A New Look at Computer Tablet Devices

Top 8 Tablets

Tablet Market is Fragmented
Tablet Review

2013 Tablet Models

2014 Tablet Models

Wiki - Tablet Model List

This week we are going to create a list 
of the 10 best tablets TODAY, 

based on market sales, popularity, features.

• First person to post: pick the top tablet contender in popularity, sales, features 
• Next person to post: pick another top tablet
• Next person to post: pick the next top popular model

         and so on....with no repeats.

                         
In your post list:

1. Name of device, operating system

2. Five great features of the device

3. Models, Sizes 

4. General range of prices (Top price to cheapest model) 

Note: The ipad counts as one post entry, even though it currently has eight sizes/models. Which, of course, you would list in your description.  

Let's find the most popular models out there and be experts!

6. Global Technology

1.  Look at the logos above.  Identify and list, in order, the top 10 companies you believe lead the world economy in technology today.  It will be fun to see what you select. There are more than 10 logos shown to make this a genuine challenge.  Oh...and do you know all of the companies represented?  Do this first, then reply to your post after you do the reading and answer questions 2 and 3. 

2.  Do some reading:                        

• Fastest Growing PC Company
• One Day Changed Everything
• Biggest Companies (overall) in the world 2014
• Changing the world's economy
• Fastest Growing Tech Companies You Haven't Heard Of

Are you surprised?  What did you learn?

3.   What does this mean to a young, professional, tech person, like you, who is about to enter into the global market in a few years?

5. Apps

Dropbox and Flipboard are two of my favorite Apps.  

If you don't have a Flipboard App get one here:  Flipboard

If you don't have a Dropbox App get one here:  Dropbox


1.  Evaluate and describe the benefits of the Apps I've chosen: Dropbox and Flipboard

2.  List two outstanding Apps.  Do you use them on a regular basis?  Explain.  

3.  Discover a new app that you have never used before.  What benefit could it have for our class?  Or your own productivity? Or for teachers?  Or changing lifestyle?


There are literally thousands of Apps!  So while many of you like a few great or game Apps, lets do this without any repeats so we can all discover cool new stuff!  

4. SkillsUSA

GenYES is a Career and Technology Education Program (CTE) 

We are sponsored by a national charter for our Career Technology Student Organization (GenYES CTSO) and that is national organization is SkillsUSA.  

Visit SkillsUSA

1.  Look around the site.  Find information about SkillsUSA that you think is relevant to you. Such as perhaps the skills gap, Mike Rowes comments, the competitions, the organizations mission, a student success, special programs, training modules.   Discover something that's of interest to you about this organization.  Explain why.

2.  SkillsUSA has a local chapter here in Arizona.  What's happening with SkillsUSA in our state?  AZSkillsUSA

3.  What ideas do you have for our GenYES CTSO?  

3. Microcontrollers

In the spirit of being 'makers', 

over the next few weeks we will be embarking on arduino projects. 

It's likely we are going to start up the 3D Printer to enhance your projects too.

But first get a sense of what it means to be a 'maker.'  
Click on the link and read a few articles :

Maker Movement

Take a look at some of the possibilities:

Arduino Projects

So what do you think?  

Homework assignment: 

1.  From the Maker Movement articles that you read, copy and paste one or two significant sentences that tell you something about the movement.  Then, in your own words, tell what you learned about the makers or maker movement from the statements.  

2.  What exactly is an arduino?  How is it the same / different from other processors or controllers?

3.  Why would we care about learning about these devices?   Do you have any experience with these?  What do you think you could do with this technology? 

2. Tech News

Where do you find the latest, cutting edge information about technology?

Popsci	Engadget
W I R E D	Technewsworld
Fast Company	Gizmodo
TechCrunch	Discovery : TECH
EXTREME•TECH	ZDNet

Open up each of the 10 links above.  Skim through them.  Decide which news link you like the best. 

1.  Which news link did you pick?  Or did you find one of your own you like better?  What makes this news source the best in your mind?  Interface?  Type of stories?  Readability?  Navigation?  Or?

2.   Find an article that interests you about something in the world of technology from the links above.  In your own words summarize the article.  Why did you pick that article?  

3.  How will this technology impact you personally?  Change the world?  

Remember no ARTICLE repeats!    Follow directions ➜

1. Leadership

Welcome Student Tech Leaders to GenYES! 

Think of how technology has changed in the past decade.  There have been many the advances that have made a difference in our lifestyle.   

Who are the tech innovators, thinkers, doers, changemakers that have impacted the way we work, play and live? 

1. Pick one technology leader.  Describe their accomplishments.

2. How has their technological contributions or achievements changed the world?  Did this impact your life personally?

3. What qualities do you possess as a leader?  Do you have anything in common with the person you described?



READ THE COMMENTS BEFORE YOURS.  

No repeats.  The leader you chose must be unique from anyone elses.  No points will be given to repeats.  Yikes!   

Number your responses.   Follow the blog directions to the right →

Make sure you are signed in with your pvlearners account and blog name to post your comment.

Summer

Summer Blog 
Officially Closed

Welcome to the School Year!

(S14) Video Games

Many believe that video games do nothing but waste the time. That there should be no video games because they are such giant “time wasters”. 

Some say video games provide nothing but mindless violence and crude language and are unable to educate our youth. 

Others say that video games are amazing new ways to educate our children, and should be widely accepted as gateways to a whole new way to think. 

Are Video Games a Waste of Time?

Do Violent Video Games promote Violence?

Flipboard:Games!

1. What is your take on this topic? If you play games what makes it appealing to you? If you don't play video games, discuss why. If you read books or watch movies vs. play video games discuss why one is better than the other.

2. Give specific examples of video games you might have played or seen where you learned something. What are the possibilities here? Do you think the learning aspects may have the potential to increase?

3. Do you think violence in video games inspires people to be more violent in real life? Do you think playing video games changes a persons personality in any way? What evidence supports your opinion here? 

4. Video gaming has long passed the movie industry in sales. What do you think is in store for video games in the future?