One Million Gamers Banned

Microsoft XBox Live is an online community where XBox 360 players can play with and against other players all over the world. Microsoft offers this add-on service to XBox 360 owners for a yearly fee of $50.

Recently, Microsoft announced that one million XBox Live members are banned from playing for an unknown amount of time. Read this article to learn more about why they are banned, then respond to the article.

- Why are players being banned from XBox Live?

- Do you think they deserve to be banned?

- Microsoft has not said how long they will be banned. How long would be justice?

- Do you think this will help reduce the number of pirated games?

Online Job Interview?

Job interviews are a crucial part of the hiring process for most, if not all companies. A job interview is a close conversation with someone that's interested in joining the company. Interviewers get a chance to really get a feel for how the interviewee acts, reacts, thinks, and even presents his/herself. How can this be learned by the interviewer if the interview is held online? How is the interviewee able to best present his/herself in an online interview?

Read this article from TIME, and respond to the following questions:

- What are a few benefits for having online interviews? (For the interviewer AND interviewee)

- What are some disadvantages?

- What are a few tips for being in an online job interview?

- Do you think you would prefer or not prefer to be interviewed online? Why?

Post your comments by midnight Friday, October 23rd.

Cybersecurity Experts

Read this article and respond to the following questions:

- Why do you think cybersecurity is one of the most urgent priorities according to the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary?

- How could cybersecurity experts help protect the United States?

- What do you think are the qualities and/or skills of cybersecurity experts? What are they good at that will allow them to help protect our country?

- According to the article, what do we rely on cybernetworks for?

- Do you think cybersecurity is important? Why or why not?

DUE: midnight 10/9/09

3-D TV?

Not too long ago, we were buying our first HDTV to watch television in high definition. Recently in the news are stories about 3-D TV. Imagine watching a sporting event or your favorite sitcom where the action seems like it is coming through the TV!

Read this article about this emerging technology of 3-D TVs and discuss the following:

• When might this emerging technology find itself in homes & theaters?
• What are some setbacks to this invention that are mentioned in the article?
• What are some setbacks or problems to this technology that you can think of that are not mentioned in the article?
• Do you think consumers will want to grasp this technology? Why or why not?

Television is America's pastime. People watch incredible amounts of television everyday. New television technology can change the way millions of Americans spend their hours in their living room.

Posts due by Friday by midnight!

-Mr W.

New Semester

Welcome back students! The 242 Tech Talk blog is back from summer break and ready for more tech talk! Take this first post as an opportunity to learn how to make a comment. You will be required to comment once per week.

Make your comment to this post answering the following questions:

- Do you regularly read any blogs? If so, which ones (provide a link)?

- In your own words, what is a blog?

- How are blogs being used by people and businesses?

-Mr. Wetzel

Blogs, Blogs, Blogs!

For this week, let's just share some other interesting blogs!

I'd like you to search for a blog that seems interesting to you. Find a blog about a hobby or something you are interested in (ex: photography, motor cross, snowboarding, graphic design, football, etc.)

To search for blogs, try using one of these sites:

- www.technorati.com
- blogsearch.google.com

Once you have found one, share the URL in your comment. Tell us why you think the blog is interesting to you.

Finally, if you publish your own blog, please share it with us! Let us know what the URL is.

Happy Spring Break!

- Mr. W

Invasion of Privacy by Google?

Have you or someone you know ever used Google Maps? I use it all the time to find directions to where I'm going. Some would say it has gotten even more convenient with "Street View". With this realistic view you can see what an undiscovered area will look like when you get there. However, some people think it is an invasion of privacy. Watch the video below and tell us what you think. Is it an invasion of privacy? How can it be a useful tool? What should Google do in response?



- Mr. W