21 Dec 12 Violent Video Games Under Scrutiny in Light of Recent School Shooting
The recent school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut was a horrible tragedy. Adam Lanza, for reasons that are still unknown, open-fired and killed 26 young children and ten adults in what is being called the worst school shooting in American history. When something this tragic happens, everyone starts looking for a reason. What made 20-year-old Adam lose his mind and kill over three dozen innocent people? Was it a mental disorder? Bad parenting? Too easy access to weapons? No one really knows, and likely never will. When tragedy strikes, the reason behind it rarely makes sense.
20 Dec 12 Ten Great Free Apps for New Android Users
So you finally joined the ranks of the mobile users and got yourself an Android-based smartphone or tablet. Congratulations! You’ve just opened up a whole new world of computing! Perhaps you logged on to Google Play, took one look at the thousands of available apps, and got that giddy feeling like a kid in a candy store. Or maybe you were overcome by a wave of nausea that usually accompanies a feeling of being overwhelmed by all the options. In either case, before you start downloading apps all willy-nilly, take a moment to consider what you really need and which apps are among the “must-haves” for new users.
19 Dec 12 US Refuses to Sign Internet Treaty, Instead Opts to Protect Internet Freedom
The US, along with about 80 other countries, refused to sign off on an International Internet treaty proposed by the United Nations last week, a move that perhaps saved the Internet as we know it. The treaty was designed to update an outdated treaty from 1988, before the Internet was widely available to citizens of just about every country. The goal of the treaty was to allow every country to have an equal say in how the internet is regulated, specifically, how spam was handled. The opposing countries, however, had some major concerns with allowing every other country an equal say in the overall development of the Internet.
18 Dec 12 Google Winter Cleaning: What’s Are Users Losing Now?
Remember when clicking on the “more” and “even more” tab at the top of Google used to bring up a jam-packed page full of different options? Now, while there are still dozens of options, the page is looking a lot less cluttered, and a little more like something is missing. Google has been shutting down services left and right over this last year in some sort of effort to streamline their offerings. The latest victims in a chain of virtual deaths are products designed to make syncing easier for Google users.
17 Dec 12 Choosing the best flat-screen television for your needs and budget
If you’re planning to splurge on a great gift for the whole family and finally upgrade that huge tube television set that has been flickering with age, you may find yourself overwhelmed by all the different brands, sizes, and types of flat-screen televisions on the market. Choosing the best one for your needs and budgets can be a little difficult when you’re standing in front of the display rack viewing all those great sets fully loaded with amazing features. Take a deep breath and follow this basic guide for picking the television that best suits both your needs and your budget.
16 Dec 12 Is a Super-Sized Tablet in Your Future?
Have you noticed that everything is getting bigger again? Remember when cell phones first came out, they were the size (and weight) of a brick, then as time progressed, they became as tiny as the palm of your hand? Now, with smartphones in half the pockets around the world, bigger became better again. After all, you really can’t do much with a 1-inch screen! Tablets have been going through size phases too. The iPad takes up quite a bit of space in your messenger bag, while other options can fit in your purse. Everyone has their own thoughts on which size is better, but the bottom line is, at least for now, it’s feasible to travel with your tablet without needing to purchase a separate seat on the plane for it! Dell may be changing that soon, though, and other manufacturers will likely follow suit.
14 Dec 12 Can the US Access Protected Data in the EU? According to the Patriot Act, they can!
If you think that storing your data on a European Union cloud server can keep it safe from the government’s prying eyes, you’re wrong. Despite Europe’s very strong policy on protecting data of its nations’ internet users, the United States believes that its highly controversial Patriot Act can allow them to gain access. How can the United States use an Act that should theoretically exist only in their country to circumvent other nations’ laws? Basically, it all comes down to business.
12 Dec 12 2012: It’s Not the End of the World as We Know It
As the days fly by and December 21st, 2012 ticks closer each second, there are still a few holdouts who are convinced that it’s all going to come to a crashing halt on that magical day. Despite the fact that the alleged Mayan prediction has been discredited to the fullest extent, and scientists has been swearing up and down that the world is in fact going to continue, plenty of people are still planning their end of the world parties just in case.
11 Dec 12 Santa and Christmas in the Digital Age
Remember when you were a kid, you only ever got to see Santa in holiday specials or at the mall? Pictures consisted of a one-shot Polaroid, and sending a letter meant writing it down and hoping your parents were serious when they said they were going to mail to the North Pole. If you wanted to Elf Yourself, you had to throw on a costume and pointy ears. Now, like all things in life, Santa has entered the digital age, and kids have more opportunities than ever to interact with the jolly old elf in the big red suit.
