3D printing: The frightening reality of just what can be printed!

It’s eight months since I blogged about the 3D printer: Need a new printer?  Look no further!  I had just heard about it.  My son was hanging out to purchase one.   Not long after I blogged about it he purchased one and his initial creations have captivated us all.

There’s no doubt ….. 3D printing is a new technology that has captured attention and interest around the world.   And along with this, sales and growth have been booming.

It comes as no surprise that this new technology is having an enormous impact on society.  Almost anything can be printed, it seems.   Even guns!  Yes ….. guns that shoot!   If a 3D gun can be printed, it follows that anyone who can access the hardware and software can just print a gun.   So much for the discussion on gun control ay?!   This US news segment is a great summary of what’s happening and just where it can head to:

But there are also some amazing developments happening with 3D printing that counter the shock of seeing guns being printed.   Just last weekend I watched a segment on the news that showcased the making of a functioning liver!   Amazing:

Memoto Lifelogging Camera

Maintaining our privacy in our increasingly digitized world is an issue of concern to many.

Yet, using data created by a diverse range of hardware we now take for granted, means that tracking the location of people, their  movement and places they frequent is quite common.

Sometimes tracking of friends or acquaintances is made easy for us, as they regularly ‘update their status’ on Facebook, supplying not only details of where they are but colour their movements with photos of what they are doing.   Virtually sharing in the experiences enjoyed by others has become one of the ‘side benefits’ of Social Media.

Another ‘side benefit’ of digitized data however is being capitalized upon by our police and security forces.   Digital footprints are a trail that the sometimes unsuspecting criminal may yet need to master if he is to evade detection.

But for most of us, the thought of being able to capture our lives as a constant visual stream of digitized data, is perhaps something we’ve not yet considered.  So when I read about the Lifelogging Camera by Memoto, a range of thoughts ran through my mind.  Why would you want to wear it?  Why bother to track day to day happenings of your life?  Of what value is it?  Like many a new product, Memoto put a call out on the social crowding website Kickstarter seeking financial support to manufacture its first batch of one thousand units.   Interest far exceeded expectation, so money has been pledged and production must now be well and truly in process.

The concept is simple.  The design is sleek.  The product may or may not be something for you.   But the idea is certainly one of interest to those concerned about their privacy.   Check out the website - scroll down to read a little about its features – or have a look at this short video which was created and run on their Kickstarter page.

Can you believe it? The mobile phone has just turned 40!

Just a week ago on April 3rd, the mobile phone turned 40!

Marty Cooper, who was then working as a senior engineer at Motorola, is renowned as the “father” of the mobile phone.   Listening to a recent interview with him on the BBC program Click was not only fascinating, but an eye opener.   How far the technology has come and the impact it has had not only on our lives but our ‘way of life’ is certainly profound.

When asked about the future direction of the technology, Marty’s reply reminded me of details I blogged about a few weeks ago: The future: Cognitive computing

Describing congestive heart failure which is a build-up of fluid on the lung, Marty explained how a patch worn on the chest will communicate fluid levels to a cell phone which in turn will transfer data to a source.  An alert to take a pill to avert a heart attack perhaps six hours before the heart attack may have occurred would then be sent back to the person wearing the patch.

Quite mind boggling really.   Have a listen.

How cool! An SMS Generator

Using web tools to promote creative writing has to be a plus.

This SMS Generator is certainly an easy way to inspire students to create snappy conversations between two fictional characters.  As an easy to use web tool, teachers could have students replay a conversation from a text being studied, write alternate conversations between characters in a text or have students create fictional characters who engage with each other in specific and varied ways.   The possibilities, really, are endless.

Although I had a play just now, I wasn’t able to get the embed code to work here in WordPress.   Alas – this pic of the conversation between my fictioinal characters Maggie and Bert is hyperlinked to the page on which I created and saved it.

Let me know if you figure out how to get the embed  code working!

Forget about peep holes in your front door – install a DoorBot!

If the truth be known, I’ve had a problem with  peep holes in the front door of my home virtually all my life!

Yes – you guessed it!  I’m short!  While I’ve got no complaints about my stature and have happily coped with the jokes and jibes that have been thrown my way over the years, the issue of peep holes has always been an annoying one for me!

Never, absolutely never, is the peep hole in a position that I can effectively use it to see who is visiting.  Standing on tippy toes, I invariably struggle to keep my balance.  The amount of noise I make in the process of trying to see through the peep hole guarantees that I’m unable to kid anyone that I’m ‘not at home!’

So when I saw this video for DoorBot, the Wi-Fi enabled “Smart” doorbell created by Edison Junior, I couldn’t help thinking that it’s a viable solution for people like me.  But with its ability to stream live video as well as create a two way audio link to a smart phone, this invention has appeal to everyone!  After installing DoorBot much the same as any doorbell is connected to the front door, all that is needed is for the user to download the free app onto the smartphone.  Being able to see and speak to anyone visiting, whether you are actually home or not, is quite awesome I think!

The future: Cognititve computing

Towards the end of 2012, IBM announced “5 in 5″ – a list of innovations  predicted to be in place within the next five years.   Referred to as the era of cognitive computing, it is predicated that computers will take the human senses of touch, vision, hearing, taste and smell to a new level.

Watch this series of videos or read the published article: IBM reveals five innovations that will change our lives within five years

Touch:

Sight:

Hearing:

Taste:

Smell:

10 valuable features of LinkedIn

Not so long ago, a friend asked me about the difference between LinkedIn and Facebook.   With numerous ‘friends’ already in her network, this friend really felt that joining LinkedIn was an overkill and just not worth the effort.  On the surface, she felt that they each offered the same value.

Perhaps others too have faced this dilemma.   What’s the value of one Social Networking site over another?   Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Yammer ….. There are so many really great Social Networking sites available.   Should we be involved in all of them or be selective?   If the latter, how do you go about deciding which site and for what purposes to use them?

I admit to having taken a while to sort out some answers for myself.   Now that I’ve been at ‘it’ for a little while, I feel that I’ve finally gotten to a stage of being more discerning, less afraid to offend anyone and more assertive in stating what I feel is ‘right’ for me.

For the moment, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are the Social Networking sites I’m using.  Over time, I feel that I’ve moulded them to meet my needs.  I can see a clear delineation of what each platform can offer me.  I’m also feeling more comfortable in being able to ‘keep up’ with the time demands they place on me.  Managing my time and my presence on them seems to have finally fallen into a manageable pattern.

But my friend’s basic question remains.   What’s to be gained by creating a presence on LinkedIn?   What does LinkedIn offer that other Social Networking platforms doesn’t?

As previously written in a post about LinkedIn – The power of social media – I don’t hesitatie endorsing it’s value to others.  Therefore, when responding to questions by others about its worth, my first response is that it is an extremely valuable professional network providing opportunities for an extensive online professional presence.   Specific features that define LinkedIn though are numerous :

LinkedIn is not just for those out there looking for a new job!   There’s an assumption that LinkedIn is of value only for job seekers.   Not at all.   While Facebook is a very social platform encouraging users to share a range of issues from the trite to the serious, the slant of LinkedIn is purely professional.   Status updates and pasting pictures of the cake just baked are not on.  Instead, users are able to pursue professional connections with each other or publicize blog posts or finds that may be of interest to a defined professional community.   Finding like-minded people across the globe certainly leads to some powerful connections.

Detailed profiles become a digital portfolio.    Initial efforts to create a profile on LinkedIn may be time consuming, but are well worth it.  Taking the time to consider who you are and how you want to present yourself to a digital, global world can pay off in quite unexpected ways.   Updating a LinkedIn profile to reflect new educational, workplace or project based experiences and skills is instant.   Unlike paper based resumes and CVs, a LinkedIn profile is a current digital portfolio of past and present achievements.  It can be tweaked and edited continuously.

Profile headlines create an instant digital identity.  Being able to create a brief ‘headline’ stating occupation and/or a catchy description of interests or skills is a great way to ‘catch the eye’ of those searching the LinkedIn database.  This well thought out brief headline defines the professional.

Profile details should be correct, accurate and legitimate!  Today’s online world makes it easy to substantiate facts.   Incorrect, inaccurate or illegitimate details of education completed, jobs held or skills mastered can quite easily be cross referenced online by prospective employers or professional colleagues.   LinkedIn is a professional network where professional standards are expected and encouraged.   Taking advantage of a worldwide professional network is what LinkedIn is all about.

LinkedIn enables users to publicize the work they do.  By inserting descriptions and links to blogs authored, papers published, presentations given or projects completed, users are able to reach out and share who they are and what they are doing with professional colleagues, potential clients/customers or future employers therefore providing a powerful platform for networking.

LinkedIn badges provide publicity.  A range of LinkedIn badges can be added to a webpage or blog.   By clicking on the LinkedIn badge, users will be taken directly to your public LinkedIn profile.  A range of badges and their codes can be found online.

LinkedIn Groups provide opportunities for sharing.  An extensive range of Groups on LinkedIn are available for users to join.  Moderated, they provide opportunities for professional discussions and sharing.  Ranging from high school or university alumni groups to groups based around specific professional or industry interests, they attract participants from across the world.  Active involvement in these groups invariably leads to developing new connections.

LinkedIn email is a bonus!  Communicating with connections via LinkedIn email provides an avenue for direct and easy communication.  Individual or group messages of products, news updates or information sharing can be sent quickly and easily from within the LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Applications add value to your profile.  Applications for programs such as WordPress and Slideshare or Amazon Reading Lists and Polls can be added to a webpage or blog enabling sharing and collaboration with network members.

LinkedIn can be connected with Twitter.  Display Tweets on your LinkedIn profile or share LinkedIn posts on Twitter by connecting your LinkedIn account with Twitter.  Increasing your online presence is a powerful way to make new connections.

If perhaps you still hold some reservations about the value of creating a professional online profile, have a read of the statistics  mentioned in an article by @BerriePelser titled “Why you need a Social Resume to get a job”    I just love the infograph he has included in this article.   It says most everything I’ve written here!

“Why you need a Social Resume to get a job”