Teachers spy on students through laptop webcam

Where does it end?

Sundance short film compels unity

Tiger Woods public apology a PGA spectacle

The Tiger scandal is something most people are familiar with, pertaining specifically to his personal affairs (no pun intended). However, the interloped association between Woods scandal and the PGA is too tight. Today, Woods made his statement at a press conference explaining his ordeal and the effects it’s having on his life.

It’s being considered his public apology, but the venue raises some pr concerns. When an association like the PGA provides the venue, they are public stating their involvement. Many pr professionals are claiming this was a bad move.

The personal affairs of Woods had no direct correlation to the PGA, other than Tigers short personal leave. The effect on the PGA was incidental and their involvement should have been limited to his decision. By providing the venue for his apology, the PGA is increasing their involvement in his personal life. Yes, Tiger for many people is the PGA, but only as it pertains to the sport. His commercial sponsors have more investment in the merit of his personal conduct than the PGA.

If it were a matter of sportsmanship or sport-related concern, their involvement would be necessary. The dual-message today was one-part Tiger and one-part PGA. Andy Jenks of NBC stated on Twitter "Tiger should've worn his Masters jacket for that."

The PGA is building an association where they should not. They are intensifying the association between Tigers unpopular personal decision making and their brand. CRT-Tanaka asks the question on their blog, "Should the PGA have allowed Tiger to use its venue for his public apology?"

http://tinyurl.com/yfgq4nx

Thanks to CNN for the Photo.

Google donates $2 million to Wikipedia foundation tomorrow

As mentioned today on, yeah that’s right, Twitter- Google had donated $2,000,000 to the Wikimedia foundation, the organization that runs Wikipedia. The charitable donation was mentioned today by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Whales via Twitter. According to sources (Ben Parr of Mashable) the official announcement will be made tomorrow Feb. 17.

GE's new gadget is Ultra-impressive

Vscan is a miniature ultrasound designed to fit right inside your Docs’ pocket. Designed by GE, this sleek slice of technology is predicted to change the way Doctors make a diagnosis. Vscan offers an immediate look at current vital conditions like fluid buildup around the heart, a sign of congestive heart failure. For cardiologist, Vscan will be used in evaluation of cardiovascular diagnosis on the spot.
* Read coverage on cnet.com
* Read coverage on finance.sharpnews.info
* Read coverage on venturebeat.com
* Register to watch live streams of the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco.
Read the release:
http://www.gereports.com/vscan-pocket-sized-ultra-smart-ultrasound-unveiled/

School adds Wi-fi to Bus: Using the internet to pacify students

A school system in Arizona tested a theory about student behavior on school buses and the internet. The idea was to enable Wi-fi internet for students to access school online content during their morning and afternoon trips. The findings indicated that students were more engaged in their online connection than disruptive behavior. A source said, "mischief has all but subsided and the bus has magically morphed into something of a rolling study hall."

Adding mobile internet to a bus or source of public transportation is a great way to increase productivity, offer incentives for riding and keeping riders happy. However, when your target audience is school-aged children, it's probably best to keep limitations on that media.
The NYTimes source that broke this story stated students had access to social media sources like Facebook. This clouds the schools ability to regulate content and opens up the doors for potential school/home jurisdiction issues. This could also be counterproductive if the student originally used that time to study or finish homework. The idea of using the internet as a full time babysitter also has its drawbacks in social development. As children rely more intently on technology as a source of entertainment, what happens to traditional social relationships? IAD is a very real condition that is being perpetuated by these technological integrations. http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction/

Windows announces new phone series, for life on the go.

Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft officially unveiled the Windows 7 phone series today. Some of the key features of the phone bring Xbox LIVE gaming and Zune mobile music together on one platform.

“Today, I’m proud to introduce Windows Phone 7 Series, the next generation of Windows Phones,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “In a crowded market filled with phones that look the same and do the same things, I challenged the team to deliver a different kind of mobile experience. Windows Phone 7 Series marks a turning point toward phones that truly reflect the speed of people’s lives and their need to connect to other people and all kinds of seamless experiences.”

Microsoft is using a lifestyle campaign in conjunction with this new phone release claiming the product is designed for “Life in motion.”

Microsoft’s design efforts directly mimic that of competitors, bringing all online content to one medium. Keeping up with the Jones, or in this case Apple means finding new ways to appeal to that market.

Here are the specs from Microsoft’s release:

People. This hub delivers an engaging social experience by bringing together relevant content based on the person, including his or her live feeds from social networks and photos. It also provides a central place from which to post updates to Facebook and Windows Live in one step.

Pictures. This hub makes it easy to share pictures and video to a social network in one step. Windows Phone 7 Series also brings together a user’s photos by integrating with the Web and PC, making the phone the ideal place to view a person’s entire picture and video collection.

Games. This hub delivers the first and only official Xbox LIVE experience on a phone, including Xbox LIVE games, Spotlight feed and the ability to see a gamer’s avatar, Achievements and gamer profile. With more than 23 million active members around the world, Xbox LIVE unlocks a world of friends, games and entertainment on Xbox 360, and now also on Windows Phone 7 Series.

Music + Video. This hub creates an incredible media experience that brings the best of Zune, including content from a user’s PC, online music services and even a built-in FM radio into one simple place that is all about music and video. Users can turn their media experience into a social one with Zune Social on a PC and share their media recommendations with like-minded music lovers. The playback experience is rich and easy to navigate, and immerses the listener in the content.

Marketplace. This hub allows the user to easily discover and load the phone with certified applications and games.

Office. This hub brings the familiar experience of the world’s leading productivity software to the Windows Phone. With access to Office, OneNote and SharePoint Workspace all in one place, users can easily read, edit and share documents. With the additional power of Outlook Mobile, users stay productive and up to date while on the go.

Partners have already started building phones; customers will be able to purchase the first phones in stores by holiday 2010.

Where did it start.

The Basics

When creating a blog it’s imperative to decide why you want a blog to begin with. What do you want your readers to know about you or the topics you write about? When selecting a topic, choose something you are comfortable talking about in great detail. Most blogs are fundamentally online journals; outlets of personal experiences that blogers wish to share. With no real structure, you are free to write about any and everything. I created OpenMindPR as a source for my personal interpretations about the world around me; specifically, modern concepts and current events.