Notable Technology Trends in 2010

Click the title of this post to read an article concerning Tech Trends in 2010. I am sure you could predict most of them:

1. Apple's iPad and iPhone

2. Not much for Microsoft

3. Google TV attempt 

4. 3-D TV and gaming

5. Motion Gaming (The wii still rules.)

6. Touch screen interfaces

7. Mobile Phone revolutions

8. Social Networking (Facebook vs. Twitter)

9. Foursquare

10. GPU and CPU

11. Faster networks

12. eBooks

13. Better displays

14. Electronic vehicles

15. Cloud computing

Digital Millennium Copyright Act

Congress is modifying the DMCA in order to look at special cases where protection circumvention is not copyright infringement. 

One of the major ones is using clips from DVDs for education, documentary film making, and noncommercial videos.

I believe that copyright laws allow a small portion of video and music to be used under fair use for educators: 3 mins of video and 30 seconds of music.

Being able to use clips in educational situations or allow students to incorporate them into projects is important. Students (and adults!) are greatly connected and influenced by video and music from our lives. While programs like Garageband allow them to create their own original material for large projects, sometimes a reference to pop culture is necessary.

I was really surprised about the e-books not being allowed to be read aloud. I am not sure how that would threaten the e-book, but what a loss to not have that option!

I guess the DMCA is not going to "police" the use of programs that allow people to override these copyright protections, but they are also going to make it "legal" to use said programs in order to allow people more freedom when using current technology in meaningful ways.

Survey Monkey

Survey Monkey is a free website that allows you to poll responses. A free account gives you a maximum of 10 questions to ask. You can create several type of questions such a multiple choice with one answer, multiple choice with multiple answers, essays, etc. 

You then can send out your survey as a link. Clicking on the link allows your audience to take the survey. You can leave your survey open or set a close date so no responses past You are then given results which you can view in graphs or by individual response.

A great way to collect information from students, colleagues, or parents! Click on the title of this post to visit their website.

A sample of the results from Survey Monkey.