Today’s world is full of pieces of technology that we take for granted, the microchip has truly revolutionised the way in which we live and do business. The world we see would not be recognisable to people of a few generations ago and nowhere is this truism greater than in the world of computing. Hence it is important to stay up to date with technology news; while many may think that this type of news is purely for geeks it is clear that all of us should have at least a passing interest in news of technological developments.

Technology pretty much touches all of our lives in some way and hence technology news is a vital resource that can keep us up to date with developments and ways in which the world will be changing. For instance, the onset of digital television is something that will affect most people; news stories that inform us of the dates for the switch over are vital so the average member of public can understand when their analogue signal will be turned off. In the same way, news of technologies that may make our cars safer and more efficient is important to all those who drive on our roads.

Anyone of a reasonable age will remember the BBC’s ‘Tomorrow’s World; a technological news show that brought us stories of the latest developments and the ways life would be changed in the future. It was as sad day when this news show was cancelled; maybe it meant that people were no longer interested in new technology. If people are less interested they should not be; being up to date with what is coming around the corner is just as important as being informed on the politics of the nation and world affairs.

Any lack of interest has been sidestepped by the internet, which has seen the creation of a platform for thousands of writers who feel it necessary to publish regular news stories on technological developments. It is not just the bedroom ‘bloggers’ however that is publishing detailed news stories. Major reporting institutions are now likely to have a technology dedicated page in order to cope with the huge demand for this kind of news.

The fact of the matter is that technology now covers such a diverse range of subjects that it would be foolish for any reporting company not to write stories on the genre. Technology can apply to elements of the medical industry as well as the automotive industry. It is this diversity that makes technology news articles so interesting to read and why subscribers from all over the world regularly catch up theses stories.

It can be argued that will now live in the ‘computer age’, whether this is true or not is a matter of conjecture but what can be assured is that we live a period where computers are becoming increasingly important to our way of life. Ultimately we are becoming evermore reliant on our computers and without them we would be lost; there are even news stories of some now being addicted to their computers and handhelds. This is the extent that technology has encroached upon our lives that people now do not feel the need to ‘unplug’.

The phenomena is only set to continue, as computers become more powerful and have greater and greater applications it will not be long that we will plan our lives around the computer. This is not an attempt to act as a harbinger of doom, it is just theorising on ways in which technology will impact upon the human race. This is why keeping up to date with news stories about technology is so important, technology is about forward momentum and understanding what is at the crest of the wave is only half of the battle.

Watch the video related to technology

A distinguished scholar of Buddhism, Lewis Lancaster founded the Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative to use the latest computer technology to map the spread of various strands of Buddhism from the distant past to the present. Series: “Burke Lectureship on Religion & Society” [6/2008] [Humanities] [Show ID: 14331]

Help answer the question about technology

About Author

Industry expert Thomas Pretty looks into the importance of technology news in keeping up to date with technological developments.

It seems like every couple of years there are new advances made and our technology springs forward. Sometimes it can be difficult to keep up with all of the incredibly fast paced advances made. Currently, blue ray technology has been brought into the mainstream and learning what this technology is can keep consumers up to date with the latest inventions in home entertainment.

Discovering What Is Blue Ray Technology

/>
For many, home movies were originally played on the classic vcr tape. Then, the technology moved onto DVD players, and the look of the movies was sharper and of a much better quality. Now the next evolution has started with blue ray technology.

Finding out about what it is includes learning about the differences between this kind of technology and the current mass marketed DVD systems. This new kind of technology has been developing for years, since the mid 1990’s when HDTV’s were becoming more common for consumers to buy. A technology was needed that could record and play back the high definition recordings. Blue Ray technology was created to fill that void.

So what is so special with this technology and how is it different from the standard DVD? BR technology can store far more information that the traditional DVD, almost 5 times more storage is available on a blue ray disc. The blue ray discs use a blue ray laser to read the information where other DVD’s use a red laser.

With a blue laser the wave length is shorter allowing for more storage to be used. This did cause some problems originally, as the discs were much easier to scratch. The case that held the disc had to be made more durable and was somewhat bulky. Advances in polymer coatings have advanced allowing for a better protective coating to be placed on the disc, alleviating the need for the bigger containers.

There are many companies that have a stake in the development of the next cutting edge technology and these companies are looking into both blue ray technology and a HD DVD. Some of the big companies are fighting over which technology should be used and this has caused a split in which companies support which format. Even companies that produce movies are split over which type of technology to use, which means depending on what movie a consumer wishes to purchase; they may need two different types of players.

Both the blue ray and the hddvd players are continuing to improve. In the end, consumers may discover that they enjoy both types of players and they both may be successful with consumers. Learning about what is this technology exactly can help a consumer get a good idea of basic information in regards to this new technology.

Watch the video related to technology

www.milow.com Milow performing an extended live version of Ayo Technology (by 50 Cent) in the Paradiso in Amsterdam on January 23, 2009 Jonathan Vandenbroeck – lead vocals, acoustic guitar Joris Caluwaerts – keys Tom Vanstiphout – dobro Nina Babet – percussion, backing vocals Jasper Hautekiet – bass Frederik Vandenberghe – drums Michel Sieben – lights

Help answer the question about technology

About Author

Michael Hehn is the webmaster of http://blue-raysite.com, a site that offers a wide range of useful and helpful information about blue ray. Visit his site for more free tips to choose the blue ray accessories for you and your family.

Technology touches the life of everybody. Call yourself a techie or not, you just can’t help take notice of its presence in virtually every aspect of our life today. Technology is also evolving at a rapid pace. It is of a very dynamic nature, changing and evolving rapidly, becoming more powerful, more sophisticated and fortunately, more affordable. It’s no wonder then that technology news is never a static field. There’s a new improvement being made every minute, a new product being launched every hour, a new technology being ushered into our lives every day. For those who love science and technology, and also for those who are not so favorable inclined towards it, technology news always has something for everybody.

With the advent of the Internet, and the subsequent proliferation of Internet technologies, online videos have been given a whole new lease of life. This is the age of fast connectivity and super fast data transmission over the Internet. The general experience of watching videos online has improved manifold. Online video services, such as YouTube.com, Google Videos, Metacafe.com and so on are very popular and receive huge amounts of traffic every day.

One of the reasons why people visit these resources in thousands everyday is to view various technology videos, especially new technology videos. Of course one can read about them in various blogs and news sites. But getting to see the technology in action is a different experience altogether. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. Product demos are very popular in this respect. Whenever a new product is made available to the public, or the launch of one is announced, people everywhere get inquisitive about it. They wish to learn more about this new offering and also wish to know more about the technology involved, its features, its benefits, etc. Fortunately, the Internet carries many videos that showcase these products. They help in providing a sneak preview of an unreleased product or a video review of a popular one to help prospective buyers take the right decision about buying the product.

It is said, ‘If everything else fails, Google it!’ Well, in other words, it implies that there’s nothing that you can’t find if you search for it on the Internet. The same goes for technology videos too. Search and thou shalt find it.

Watch the video related to technology

Ik spreek geen nederlands, stop met vragen voor dit lied! I didn’t find this version of the song anywhere on YouTube, so I uploaded it for yall. :] www.youtube.com www.milow.be http

Help answer the question about technology

About Author

Jacob Brown is an expert web writer and enjoys a niche in offering reviews and tips on the latest trends as well as online shopping. Currently he is associated with www.digitaltrends.com – an online venture that specializes in providing updated technology and consumer electronics reviews,technology news and videos. Visit our site to benefit from discussions on Technology Video and information.

Regarding previously said, a problem of information note and form of description ,extrovert and inner ,introvert world is based upon existence of information code ,as subject determination basic feature in the moment of “technological “ description ,which is related to certain object, or substantive analytical examination in relation with the same object. What appears to be essential is whether the information evolved from technological advancement or it has been defined by its own existence .For instance, Is the informational capacity ,measured in bytes and regarding technological advancement and subject of research taken randomly, more determinate to analyst rather than to its inventor? Informational determination capacity is proportional to analytical decoding , just as the content of dream is to conscious. Technical measurement ,which is to determinate the subject informational more precisely ,directly affects the informational code reproduction. Informational chain code appears to be essentially divergent in relation to any subject being analysed ; its selfdetermination is unconditional only if out of experimental or any form of perceptive range .The problem resembles subquantum paradox which results in experimental conception –experimenter causes the result of experiment ,while on the grounds of experimental action technical substratum treats its own field of analysis as artificial

Subquantum technology basics

Principles of quantum mechanics are based on the claim that the fundamental entity concerning all interactions in nature is quantum, defined as form of indivisible unit carrying an absolute minimum of energy .In a word,any process of interaction, emission or absorbing of all materials energetic conditions is exclusively possible in form of infinitesimal quantum continuance .According to theoretical implications method , metaphysics and physics matches.

As a subject of research , subquantum level of nature is being realistic ,not only metaphysicist, but also to physicist , regarding theoretical concepts. This aspect of nature excels any range of scientific or any other form of perception .Basic reason is most simple: considering the fact that perception sphere is being modified inside the quantum instance of nature , in order to implement any form of knowledge, it must be based upon quantum “behaviour” of natural interactions. Realization of subquantum instance theoretically implied, although its practical significance or experimental induction are impossible .

Solid form of technological advancement interpretation and the way it emanates from nature ,speaking in terms of idealists, it shapes into a classical model of synthetic explanations, which defines the technological circle as formal, secondary characteristic of individual interactions with nature. Structure of technological image is exclusively based upon domain of interactive, process related, although its peculiarity absolutely can’t possibly be derived from natural substratum. The aspect o technological determination is added to natural domain ,regarding synthetic interaction with nature ,relation between technology and nature is,a s for these concepts of explanation ,immanent,e ssentially impracticable.A possibility stems from shaping, factual ,state which subject reduces from nature influenced by technology.

Specification of technological advancement is concentrated to reducing the practical domain of technical implementation considering the sphere of reality and perceptiveness.

Realization ,practicable and technical is in direct connection to expectation of scientific theory principle which proves itself. Technology evolved in just a few decades .Considering the fact that technology raised, for instance, in nineteen forties the size limit was 10-5 milimetres, while nowdays contemporary science moved the limits towards 10-10 meters or 10 -7 milimetres.T his is the domain of very popular nanotechnology .Quantum physics concept in a pretty self-confident way pleads with absolute influence to the real world of subatomic entity of nature ,although the theoretical concept itself, regarding analytical method used for its definition, seems to be very self –destructive and fragile. Subquantum aspect of natural interactions, like absolute foundation of visible and invisible is theoretically and implicitly unpredictable in its adherence, which should be considered as variable; subquant world is not a subject to laws of existing world, so should any discerning reader notice that ,according to conceptual explanations of interactive manifestations, certain processes should be assigned to a cathegory of principles semantics. In a word, It is necessary to find some law in illegal. Such conclusion is a mind’s need, like a compromising relief in a visible defining process, but also a fundamental self-deceit of our own world of phenomena is in mind navigating to functionality exclusively referring to cathegories of relational .Pointing this problem in a theoretical manner of explaining the subatomic, it is inevitable to say that our model of perception points out to specific “behaviour” of invisible world of subatomic level of nature. Related to our concept, this world has its own rules, essentially Imperceptible. It is possible to presume its ” intensity “,inner essential determination ,although, according to its constitution, it is impracticable ,for it is not connected with factual world.

Poetical sentence says: a shape whose appearance exclusively stands for itself , has no appearance at all. This problem is going to be mentioned later on,regarding analysis of multidimensional concept relation and relation of selfhood and the instance of consciousness.

Let’s make an assumption that result of technology advance is ,as mentioned, based upon structural minimization, deeper penetrating the natural infinity, regarding as macro as mini entity, even though the practicality of technical advancement incorporates into substantial minimization, or division of manifesting world .As to this, what is the final result of technological advancement? Provided that subquantum world represents fundamental entity of factual world, is the subquantum world itself a metaresult of technological circle?

Being incorporated into the fundamental range of natural, technology would turn the full the circle as non-spreading shape .Its inner substance would excel the result of the very evolution. Speaking of metaphysical poetry, it would be amazed by technology, not by its complexity, but for it excels the semantic of pure determination as a concrete being of practical world .From the starting point, which is originally referring to practical approach to nature , it finds its own realization in substantive influence on absolute entity of – world, to subquantum entity. By this process technology would , closing the evolutionary circle, abandon the originality of physical world. Each form of its prediction or attempt on complementary defining would appear to be unsuccessful. Synthetic form of metaphysical incarnation of technology would strengthen; nevertheless, this analyse intention is not to establish the horizon of its (technological) final revolution as meta-aspect. Subquantum technology should ,by surpasing the applicable value, and regarding qualitative peculiarity towards efficiency within natural complex, make transcendence superior to categorizing. Forms of quantity and quality ,equalizing technological relation and natural ,become completely useless. Assumption of taking initiative action implicates a huge possibility of technological meta determination of natural flow; every interaction, causal relation,any natural manifestation are being modified by subquantum technology. Countless options of nanotechnology in virtual, parallel reality construction appears to be essential regression concerning subquantum technology. Quality proportion would be enormously bigger between these two evolution aspects, than between microprocessor and prehistoric stone axe. Provided that nanotechnological field “resource” is 10-10 meters, the aspect of subquantum might be extensively measurable by theoretical models. Essentially and structurally ,microdimensions of subquantum technology would not be determinate, according to upper definition, and intensity would not follow extension. This final” level “of technology would appear to sphere of perception identical to entering the singularity.To our categories of cognition it seems to be incomprehensible , whereas it could be predicative according to existing theoretical models. Example of singularity,I n this case ,ought to be seen as compromising analogy, although regarding the hypothetical case of final technological revolution ,it would be absolutely incomprehensible. Exceeding the quant limit would mean that technology in multidimensional frame absolutely alters space and time continuum ,even the genealogy concept og Universe would be absolutely changed, although this theoretical implication totally unacceptable in its essence .

Finalization of technological evolution understands ontological surpassing the world. Problem appears here, in state section ,on condition that finalization of evolution process understands own starting point transcendence ,sublimated in visible macroplan of nature ,which is fundamental to changing the essential form of existence. In a word, how can a form, defined by technological semantic ,practicable realization ,outdoes own form of existential determination placing itself into the aspect of absolute, subquantum. Metaphysical conflict is in the notion and also in the semantic of subquantum. If this entity himself reperesents the absolute entity of nature, turning the full circle becomes expected. On condition that theoretical models point out to interpreting suitability of subquantum as absolute, subquantum technology would be as far from the result of infinitely successive circle of its own evolution. This problem will be examined synthetically highlighting either the notion multidimensionality and reduction of selfhood later on in the text.

Visit Sciencomatica.com!

Watch the video related to technology

One Phillip Corso claimed he reversed engineered the technology from the ufo crash in roswell. The US Government says no. Who do you believe?

Help answer the question about technology

About Author

Vitomir Jovanovic,
Visit Sciencomatica.com!

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

KUMAH ERIC JUNIOR

MARCH 2009

ABSTRACT:

In today’s world, technology has invaded many aspects of human life. From its gigantic influence on our education and professional development, to the more subtle presence of little gadgets littering our homes, technology is almost everywhere.

The reasons for such pervasiveness would boil down to some characteristics that technology by itself possesses. One such characteristic, which is of major interest to many scholars, is the seeming lack of barriers to the spread of technology. It easily penetrates societies and even to remote communities, and once it reaches its destination and catches on, it becomes seemingly difficult to stop its spread. As a result of this, consumer technology like cellular phones, computers, PDAs, radios and televisions have become commonplace in places like Africa, even with all the barriers one would have envisaged.

Sadly, it does not need much analysis to realize that even though technology usage is growing rapidly in Africa, we still have numerous developmental problems in our continent. This is a situation where advanced technology is coexisting with underdevelopment in Africa. With all the power that technology wields, it will be a useful exercise to study the ways in which it can be used to solve some of those very problems it has come to meet. In essence, using our little gadgets to solve our big problems.

This is the background against which this study is undertaken. Asking whether our problems can be solved at all, then enumerating instances where development projects that utilize technology have been put to work, and concluding by examining the cases and drawing lessons from them.

CHAPTER. 1.

INTRODUCTION

The limits to what the human mind can conceive and achieve are increasing. More discoveries have been made, more things have been created, more theories have been proved and disproved, more machines have been made and more problems have been created. Scientific technology has been the driving force behind all these. Science has indeed proved to be a powerful tool which has touched many people and has shaped many communities.

According to the Concise Oxford dictionary 10th edition, technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. Clearly from this definition we can see that scientific knowledge may exist theoretically but it only becomes technology when it is used in practical settings. For example we may say the knowledge of the rules of up-thrust and buoyancy is theoretical, however practical utilization of these rules to manufacture airplanes could be termed aircraft technology.

Again according to the Concise Oxford dictionary 10th edition, a community is the people of an area considered collectively, while development is explained to mean to grow or cause to grow and become larger or more advanced. By deduction, community development could be explained to be the growth or advancement of a group of people.

Today, the world has become highly technological, and things which in the seventies would have passed for science fiction are now so commonplace that they have almost become necessities. From every corner of the world, technology has global acceptance, it is ubiquitous and has the ability to dramatically change situations.

Any attempt to ascribe reasons for this pervasiveness of technology will have many suggestions, some of which are that machines have been proven more efficient than humans at some tasks, machines are less error prone, impartial and never get tired like humans. Another could be the increased sophistication of humans and the attendant need for equally complicated messengers to help us perform many tasks, which is linked to the interesting nature of technology that once a more advanced way of doing something is found, it becomes almost unthinkable to try to do it by "old fashioned" means.

With such large scale interplay of these and many more factors, there is little reason to be surprised by the sudden emergence of automatic machines to handle the little tasks of old; cleaning floors, washing clothes, cutting bread, mixing cake etc. the list goes on and on.

And that is far from all and the list of innovative possibilities is endless. In truth, some of these innovations have shaped the world and there are many examples to cite. The discovery of electricity and the radio wave both changed the world. Today, computers are changing the world even faster. Now with cellular phones, new opportunities have come and our imagination has become the only limiting factor. We can only wait for the next big thing to be created and who knows what it will be?

The picture of technological advancement is not a completely rosy one. Indeed, there are some minuses to science as well, such as the introduction of new forms of danger which come as a consequence of innovative forms of technology, for example the nuclear bomb came from nuclear technology, unforeseen genetic mutations are as the result of genetic engineering, and the numerous and little talked about chemicals which can destroy the ozone or warm the planet.

The seriousness of the disadvantages of technology have prompted some people to argue that technological advancement, which is an example of scientific development, is making us more of advanced entities but less of humans. In other words, we have become better scientists, bankers and professionals and worse human beings. Martin Luther King puts this argument succinctly when he said "Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power, we have guided missiles and misguided men."

The disadvantages that technology brings are issues which require serious examination to ascertain what can be done to eliminate them or at least minimize their effects since technology has definitely come to stay, and it would be to our advantage to learn how to work with it in ways that will be the most beneficial to us.

But despite the disadvantages listed here and the many more unnamed, we have seen that we can still derive many benefits from science and given that we live in, or at least come from, a part of the world where development is still a big headache, we should be the first to start a serious study of this phenomenon and see how best we can use it to our advantage. We may be surprised to see that there is a great viability in using our little gadgets to solve our big problems.

Let us make it clear that the aim of this paper is not to present technology as the magic cure that will clear our multitude of problems in a whiff, technology alone will not solve Africa’s problems because our problems are too complex, too deep and too overwhelming for any simplistic scheme to be successful. We can only achieve success when if have a more comprehensive approach to the problem, to include solid commitment to serious research, establishment of the appropriate structures, and the taking of required initiatives. It will be incorrect to assume that technology in itself is inherently good, and just implementing it alone will be enough to achieve any good result3. Though technology may be able to do anything, people must have the vision to drive it in the right direction.

Only with this knowledge can we make any meaningful gains in the development agenda.

In our particular context, Africa has proved that advanced technology could coexist with underdevelopment. People have satellite televisions whilst there are no teachers in the classrooms, we have mobile devices and pocket PCs and devices but our streets are still not named properly, there is still a large number of illiterates among the people who own and use cell phones, spreading of healthcare information is still a challenge even though a lot of people have access to radio and TV. This sorry list is endless.

CHAPTER 2:

CAN TECHNOLOGY REALLY ADDRESS OUR PROBLEMS?

From healthcare, access to water and life expectancy, to governance, industrialization and even the quality of human life, there are numerous problems confronting African communities.

Today we are said to be living in the information age, an era where access to information is the new driving force of the world. The proliferation of the Internet and World Wide Web has reduced the whole world to a massive audience with unprecedented access to vast quantities of information. This communication is unencumbered and the formation of alliances is unhindered by physical distance, national or political borders4. With all the dynamics that this modernity brings, technology stands tall as a favourite to achieve any meaningful sustainable development for many reasons.

Principal among such reasons is the fact that there is improved awareness of underdevelopment among Africans themselves, which could be due to the information age, and an improved belief that our situations can be turned around. This is markedly different from decades ago when there was a lot of resignation and despair among black professionals. Evidence to support this would be the observation that much more thought is being directed at the Africa integration agenda and greater attention being paid to the Economic partnership agreements (EU- ECOWAS).

Another positive indicator is the growing number of trained and competent technological professionals on the face of the continent. Granted, the improved numbers by themselves will not be a good indicator, but with the holistic approach talked about earlier, one can see a sign of hope which shows that there is very high potential for success in a well though out scheme to utilize technology to solve our developmental problems.

Another good point is the individual work that is being carried out by different groups using different approaches (studies of the indigenous chieftaincy system for e.g.) at trying to solve the same problems. This is clear evidence to state that beyond the level of commitment, there have been actual attempts at problem solving. Even if some of such attempts have not been successful due to the numerous challenges in the way, the experiences have been gained and lessons have been drawn from them which would be utilized for future use.

Finally there are areas where major strides have already been made in Africa. Statistics show for example that there have been remarkable improvements in girl student enrollments in places like Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia5. This is definitely a feather in our cap and such areas may serve as boosters to face the remaining dark spots.

All these imply that we might be closer than ever to solving our problems, and all that may be left will be a few giant pushes forward.

This is where technology comes into the picture. It is the one thing that seems to know no barriers, catches on easily and has the power to transform even the most remotely inaccessible locations on earth to budding business towns. It is ubiquitous. Its innovations accelerate by the month. As a result, it is the most probable tool to achieve anything meaningful.

In the early 90’s, scholars described Africa as being left in a technological apartheid 6. Today however, with increased globalization perhaps a slightly better picture can be painted. Even though Africa is not in the league of the innovators of the most novel initiatives and we may not be making as good use of technologies as we ought to, or as some others are, we would still have something positive to report. For example, in some cases, Africa actually has comparable human and hardware resources. Therefore, "apartheid" would no longer be a precise definition of the situation as it stands.

As stated earlier in this paper, technology alone will not solve our problems. But with very serious considerations using active participation, a comprehensive and well though out scheme that incorporates technology will be a very viable solution.

However taking a look at all the attempts made so far and their attendant challenges and effects if any, one may say confidently that will all the proper accompanying compliments, technology will made very significant gains in spurring the development agenda on.

CHAPTER 3:

HOW IS TECHNOLOGY BEING USED TO SOLVE PROBLEMS?

Across many countries around the world, people have made serious strides at utilizing technological knowledge to solve all manner of problems. Many issues have arisen out of such attempts, and below are very brief summaries of some of those places where practical scientific knowledge has been utilized for the growth of the community.

3.1 ELECTIONS

In Africa’s recent governance history, elections have always been a challenge. It is hard to find a totally free and fair voting exercise, whilst contested elections, unfair processes, non transparent irregularities and simple ineffectiveness are commonplace. With a background of poverty, it is not too difficult to understand why the stakes are so high in African politics and why power is very lucrative in this part of the world.  This not withstanding however, there is a good number of unrests that could have been avoided if any election is proven to be fair, free and transparent to an appreciable degree.

Attaining this ideal degree has proved difficult for reasons of the complex interplay of some factors including, a government founded electoral commission, a winner takes all setting, and no motivation to commit to the right virtues. Knowing that power is so lucrative when you come from this winner takes all setting, it is really hard to let go of control of the electoral process. This is one motivation for the dishonourable acts that unfortunately we see quite often.

Because elections are highly involving and they require elaborate programs that span a series of locations (from a voter’s home to the polling station, the collation center, the electoral commission headquarters, the public domain and back to the voter’s home), It follows that unless you are trying to make public exhibition of your nefarious activity, you would need to be tactical to be successful at such dishonorable acts. The tactics employed may vary but they invariably entail series of acts that are designed to prevent information from getting into the public domain. So that for example, figures could be changed anytime so long as the original and authentic ones do not get into the hands of the public.

If democratic leadership were genuinely understood, there will be no attempt at election rigging. But since we are currently not in that ideal stage, election monitoring is one tool we can exploit to at least cut the ability for cheating.

Mobile phone technology is being used in election monitoring in some African countries under a new system of election monitoring called "parallel reporting". Parallel reporting is simply an approach to election monitoring whereby independent observers spread news of the votes counted at the basic level, which is the polling station. The figures are then relayed to an independent center where they are collated and cross checked with official figures announced by the electoral commission.

One advantage of this scheme is seen that it will make it increasingly difficult for an electoral commission to attempt to fraudulently sway the results in the favour of any of the contesting parties. The spreading or relaying of the results figures are done largely with mobile phones. Senegal is an example of a country where this project has been successful.

3.2       HEALTHCARE

The statistics obtained from healthcare research are interesting. Figures show that a large number of the world’s HIVAIDS afflicted people live in Africa. At the same time, one of the growing markets for consumer electronics such as mobile devices, handheld PC etc may be found here in Africa. This represents a population overlap, and it is only prudent that some amount of research has been directed towards attempting to find ways to incorporating technology in the treatment of the numerous diseases on the face of the continent7.

Tuberculosis (TB) has long been known to be one of the deadliest diseases known to man. Apart from the threat that this highly infectious bacterial disease presents to human life, it also enjoys some additional notoriety for lowering the sufferer’s immune system to make it easy for other diseases, which may have various degrees of harmfulness, to attack the sufferer.

As if that were not enough, TB has a deadly habit of mutating at the least case of drug non adherence. Therefore any TB caregiver knows that a patient who demonstrates non compliance with drug rules is clearly not interested in getting healed. As a result of this, over the years, ways to enforce religious adherence of medication have been tried but success has largely eluded caregivers.

In South Africa, there is a very laudable project, the SimPill’s award-winning Adherence System project, which uses a real-time management system to increase adherence to medications prescribed to treat chronic illnesses – particularly tuberculosis, which is a significant cause of death of people living with HIV.

3.3       SOCIAL ISSUES

Serious projects that utilize technology to address social issues have been implemented in South Africa. One such idea named Fahamu’s Umn Yango (meaning ‘doorway’ in isiZulu) has been implemented to curb domestic violence by equipping people with cell phones as tools to monitor and report abuse. Under this scheme, victims use cell phones to call a predefined and popular number and give details of the abuse.

The fear of being victimized has always made it difficult for victims, witnesses or relatives to step up and lodge complaints to the relevant authorities. There are examples of places where people had reported abuses and had been picked upon by the abuser. We have had friends of a victim reporting an abuse of their friend only to go home to be abused themselves by their spouses as punishment for "poking their noses in other people’s business". These good citizens were made to pay the price for exposing a wrong thing.  

This fear has been totally eliminated under this project because of the provision of anonymity, the telephone call could be made in secret, and even the details of the reporter are not always required. This is a sharp contrast to the situation in the past where victims, neighbours, or witnesses were required to walk into a police station to make a formal report.

Apart from successes chalked in the number of reports that are received, there has also been a reduction in the numbers of abuse cases. This may be partly due to the deterring feeling among would-be abusers that, any passerby holding a mobile phone might just make sure they get a visit from a police detective for spouse battering.

3.4       ANIMAL FARMING

Technology has also been put to good use in farming.

Farmers who rear cattle in small herds, over time, develop a personal relationship with the animals, the farmer knows all of them and can notice a missing animal or a sick one with just a glance. However, because it takes months of careful observation of the behaviour of every cow to know every animal well enough to take note when there is an infection or when an animal does not ruminate properly, this task would be ineffective if it were performed by a human shepherd with a large herd.

To remedy this situation, the technology of vocal tags has been developed in Europe. This project employs a tag, which is a belt fitted with sensors and worn around each animal’s neck. These sensors monitor several indicators such as the animal’s rate of rumination, voice clarity, digestion and breathing and send the data collected to a central computer.

Over time the computer knows what is normal for every cow and will notify the shepherd when something goes wrong with a cow.

The advantage of this project is that a farmer can take quick and specific action like giving treatment to the particular animal involved. This removes the need to give general treatments to the whole herd, which is both time and money wasting.

These are some of the ways that technology is being used towards increased development.

CHAPTER  4

WHAT LESSONS HAVE BEEN LEARNT?

No matter how promising an idea or project sounds, there are bound to be problems encountered in the deployment of the project. In achieving the above projects, following are some of the problems one is likely to be faced with:

In the election monitoring program, misinformation has been identified to be one of the problems starring the program in the face. It is true that when all the information is not localized in the hands of government, then a lot more transparency will be achieved, but it is also true that mass misinformation remains an unpleasant possibility.

Another problem could arise when there is a situation where people do not necessarily trust the degree of independence of the so called independent observers. It may lead to a problem where parties could cast a slur on the reputation of the observers so as to use the resulting mistrust to set the stage for a possible rejection of the results.

Overall this is a laudable idea and if a means of verification were added, the figures would mean much more to a lot of people.

Whilst celebrating the successes chalked, it is important to note that a number of other factors needed to progress before a state could move towards a more democratic model of governance. According to African political expert, Sheldon Gellar, these changes include: strengthening independent media, growing and ensuring freedom of civil society, decentralizing power, ceding more control to local governments, empowering women and improving judicial systems to ensure independence and power to punish.

Governance is one area that is set to reap some benefits of this phenomenon when used judiciously, unilateral rule and arbitrary action may be reduced towards a more participatory approach to leadership in Ghana

Technology could help achieve those goals to some extent, as communication was the key to overcoming oppression.

In some of the cases, such as the election monitoring or domestic violence reporting, the internet could be used to provide communities with means to communicate, to organize and obtain good information which is not controlled by the government. However, this is not practical in Africa since only a tiny percentage of Africans have affordable access to internet.

In the healthcare project, basic mismanagement has been identified as one of the reasons why many projects seem to skid to halt after being piloted. Needed funds are not always available to those who need them.

Another problem observed was that the people who will be using the project are not always consulted in the designing and planning of the ideas, so there is a lack of communication between beneficiaries, health professionals, technologists, and managers.

Another problem was the theft of cell phones. Although cell phones are a relatively low-cost technology, they still hold considerable value in poverty-stricken areas, and are commonly stolen. And, such theft is likely to rise as these devices become more and more complex. However this is quite debatable since some analysts argue that losing a cell phone to a thief is less of a financial loss than losing a more costly machine.

In the domestic violence project one stumbling block was the communication gap between the various parties involved in the system. Feedback was largely missing and people could not tell whether their input was useful – or received, and in some cases, police officers who receive messages reporting violence against women may not be prepared to respond.

Another problem was the unfortunate situation where some unscrupulous people made the work more difficult for the authorities by raising false alarms. This could be addressed by education and the incorporation of punitive measures.

However to use effective punitive measures, even more advanced technology will be required, for example to pinpoint a particular cell phone subscriber, and take action against them like blocking their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards etc.

And the usual problem of financing in many projects is ever present as well, and it is the more predominant one in the animal rearing project.

CHAPTER  5

CONCLUSION

Granted, there are challenges that exist in using technology to achieve development goals, but such efforts still hold great potential and the costs of any obstacle will not stand in comparison to the threat of underdevelopment and poverty. So we can only strive to work harder at such solutions.

Our development attempts and efforts should think more seriously about sustainability and scalability. One important consideration in this direction is the affordability of the programmes we plan and develop. The more affordable options have a higher chance of success, so the fact that most of the development projects do not require any extraordinarily complex or new gadgets is indeed pleasant to note.

Also throughout the creation and deploying of any project, enough consultation should be carried out to ensure that there is a general buy-in into the idea from the creators to the beneficiaries. This will make an idea command a common sense of ownership.

The quality of the management should also be improved and measures should be put in place to ensure the right things are done.

Identifying the problem is half the solution. We already now have greater awareness and we have made some attempts at solving them. Putting our acts together to draw the lessons and re-strategizing with a new approach -technology, is definitely the way to go. I am confident of the viability of this new approach.

CITED REFERENCES

1         Steere M. Cell phones promise fairer elections in Africa. Cable News Network [Online]2009. Available from http://edition.cnn.com/europe. Accessed 2009 Feb 6.

2         Wikipedia. Technology.Wikipedia.org[online]2009.
Available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology. Assesed 2009 March 27

3         Macha N. Will Technology solve Africa’s problems?. Global Voices Online[Online]2009. Available from http://globalvoicesonline.com/ Accessed 2009 Feb 6.

4         Finnis A.J. Learning in the Information Age.Twinisles[Online]2009.
Available from http://dev.twinisles.com/research/learninfoage.htm. Accessed 2009 March 27

5 Kitetu, C. Gender in Education: An overview of developing trends in Africa.
Available from www.ling.lancs.ac.uk/groups/crile/docs/crile54kitetu.pdf. Accessed 2009 March 27

6 Castells M. Information Technology Globalization and Social Development.[Abstract]. In UNRISD Discussion Paper No. 114.September 1999.p11.

7 Walvaren K. Did you say cell phones for development? Association for Progressive Communications.[Online]2007.Available from http://www.acp.org/en/home. Accessed 2009 Feb 6.

Watch the video related to technology

Sumerian Culture and Planet X / Nibiru

Help answer the question about technology

About Author

Senate

Senate Global Technology brings an integrated approach to bringing value to corporate systems and data.
Solutions Focus

Senate brings to bear its global resources, experience and industry expertise in working with companies to unlock the value of corporate systems and data assets.

* Predictive Analytics practices offer considerable insights and opportunities to improving customer, portfolio and risk management aspects.

* IT Services that provide cost, quality and speed advantages through the application of proven processes, collaborative resource models and specialized skills.

* Management Consulting activities deliver industry leading IT operations and investment programs, as well as

* Outsourced Services that are professionally transitioned and managed based on years of experience at Fortune 500 customers.

Financial Stability

An affiliate of Ajeet Seeds, Senate enjoys a robust financial base from which to invest in technologies and people to serve our clients better.

A Global Mindset

Senate begins with a global mindset. Our success is based on the development of highly productive collaborative work models that ensure cost-effective access to high-demand skilled resources with the highest levels of quality in the business. With bases in North America and India, Senate provides our clients with access to the many advantages and variations of local and offshore delivery models
Employee Focus

At Senate, the careers and well-being of our employees are at the top of our priorities. By providing mentoring, profit sharing and access to training, we are proud to have the best people delivering the best solutions for our clients.

For more details please log on to http://www.senate-tech.com

Watch the video related to technology

Now available on iTunes worldwide!! www.milow.be http 26-year old Belgian singer-songwriter Milow plays an acoustic version of “Ayo Technology” by 50 Cent (feat. Justin Timberlake) for Belgian radio station Studio Brussel Music by Milow is worldwide available on iTunes. New album “Coming Of Age” released on Feb 1, 2008

Help answer the question about technology

What kind of technology is this and how does it work?

I've seen black lights advertised to show up hidden pet urine, but I tried it and it didn't work–maybe because it was on wooden floors and brick instead of carpet.

Thanks for the info.

About Author

Senate Technologies India Pvt. Ltd

Title of the book, A Companion to American Technology, explains very briefly three points which I am to explain a little more elaborately. First of all, this book is a companion book, therefore we can’t expect many details about the issue, thus this book is a compact, all-inclusive and comprehensive one.

Second, this book has a chronological view to American technology, as it is one of the books of a series which are published by Blackwell about American history such as 19 th century America and, 20th century America. Thus in order to do this important job as well as it is possible , the editor Carroll Pursell, who is chair of history department at Case Western Reserve University ,gathers a group of historians of different fields to write about history of technology in America from the eighteenth century up until the present day .

Hence as the writers are experts in different fields ,this book is the interaction spot of technology with many aspects of American society including environment, science engineering ,government, gender, labor, culture ,art and so on . Therefore articles which are gathered in 435 pages in five parts, including twenty

two chapters ,don’t explain details but they review briefly and comprehensively history of technology and its impact on society ,art ,culture and conversely,

Third and finally as the title concentrates content, this book is about technology, but what the definition of technology in this book is. According to different contributors of this book, technology has different definitions, from airplane and nuclear technology to photography and music. In each section, every contributing author highlights his or her analysis about technology with dates and examples as well as references to a range of different sources.

In particular, different contributors approach technology from a variety of perspectives and emphasize on an array of themes. They explain how necessity of society or creativity of innovator causes innovation ,consequently how technologies shape culture ,and as new technologies don’t have the same effect everywhere, how they have impact on America, what the predominant role that technology has played within the American social context is and finally and simultaneously how culture shapes events even more than technologies .

For instance ,Henry Adams, professor of American art, contributor of chapter twenty one; art and technology, explains about the role of the engineer and how society views technology through art and how technology can actually be considered an art form.

Jeffrey R.Yost who is professor of scientific computing history, explains the role of systems in anything from the development of nuclear technology to the internet; and finally, look beyond scientific discovery to explain technology’s role in creating large systems.

David E .Nye author of many books on technology and American culture explains that how new machines emerge from political and social contexts and can be used for hegemonic ends.

Rebecca Herzig who teaches courses on the history and sociology of science and technology in woman and gender studies, explains that how public toilets

represent an attempt to follow “norms of gender” ,in fact writer examine the results of the intersection of technology and gender .

Nevertheless, this book with an interdisciplinary character is a very useful tool in bringing technology into the process of understanding the history of USA and simultaneously grasp of technology itself.

In better word, Pursell manages to influence readers ‘approach about technology and understand technological progress and development with the examination of past as well as current technological practices,

Consequently ,this well-organized book help readers to realize the material in-depth and encourage them to compare sources and follow twenty two chapters in order to understand different approaches about technology as well as its history in the US.

Thus ,as this book is a professional reference and companion book , is suitable and helpful for American History American Studies and cultural studies students as well as professors in the same area of research , also it can be used as a good textbook. However as it is clearly-written one, it can be useful for others.

Watch the video related to technology

www.youtube.com

Help answer the question about technology

About Author

Mitra Naeimi MA student of North American Studies,Institute of North American and European Studies -Tehran University

Running Head: Breaking the Technology Barrier

Breaking the Technology Barrier: Using Technology in Education

Patrick Wellert

ETC 558

Northern Arizona University

Abstract

It has long been difficult for teachers to effectively communicate the objectives and goals in a fun and exciting way that reaches the students.  In the changing times teachers need to find ways to include students into the lesson using the technology made available to them. It has long been believed that teachers need to get over their fear and use technology openly with students in order to meet their educational needs. By including students into the lessons teachers will experience a more positive classroom experience.

 Breaking the Technology Barrier: Using Technology in Education

            Technology and education have always seemed to go together. In order to prepare students for the workplace or college they need to be able to be exposed to it. Teachers in the classroom use technology believing that the students are gaining valuable information and retaining the concepts taught but in reality the students need to be involved in the lesson and actively participating in activities that include technology. Student engagement is critical to student motivation during the learning process. The more students are motivated to learn, the more likely it is that they will be successful in their efforts. (Beeland, 2002).

Uses of Technology

            There are numerous uses of technologies that are available to teachers to include students into the classroom’s lesson. These include Interactive Whiteboards, Proximas, PowerPoint games, interactive DVDs, Ventrilo chat software, Myspace, Blackboard, and scavenger hunts. To put the uses of technology into an effective practice, teachers need to help students set achievable goals; encourage students to assess themselves and their peers; help them to work co-operatively in groups and ensure that they know how to exploit all the available resources for learning (Hall, 2006). The following are how some technology is used to help students learn.

Interactive Whiteboards

            There are two different types of whiteboards. The first is a virtual version of a dry erase board. It allows students to see what the instructor or other students write or draw using a special pen. The second functions similar to a normal whiteboard but also contains a projector screen, an electronic copy board or as a computer projector screen on which the computer image can be controlled by touching or writing on the surface of the panel instead of using a mouse or keyboard. They function by connecting a projector to the whiteboard panel with the use of a computer and software. It is important to know the different functions in order to determine which whiteboard is right for the educator. By knowing the difference you can also learn the terminology and understand the basic functions of each.

Proximas and PowerPoint

            PowerPoint is a software program that is being used in the classroom as a tool to incorporate learning activities into the curriculum. PowerPoint enables teachers and students to actively create presentations with graphics, charts, diagrams, and pictures in their slideshows to help make often complicated ideas and lessons more manageable and understandable. It is a way for students to engage in research, and present information to their peers. When students are actively learning, taking an active role in the learning process, they seem to understand the information better, and enjoy the lesson. The use of a game also allowed Jones and Mungai to directly address the learning style needs of the visual (58%) and tactile learner (22%), which represents eighty-percent of those involved in the content related courses. When constructed with different learning styles in mind, games can often accelerate the learning process (Jones & Mungai, 2003). By itself PowerPoint is not a cure-all remedy, but rather a tool that needs to be understood and used properly for it to be effective as an active learning tool. It also has shown that students that did use PowerPoint as a learning tool were more engaged in the discussions (Rowcliffe, 2003). This will encourage teachers to use PowerPoint as a way to involve students into a lesson by stimulating discussion. For PowerPoint to take place in a classroom an Interactive Whiteboard or a Proxima is needed. A Proxima displays a computer screen onto a screen much like a projector at a movie theater. The user is able to display items such as websites, PowerPoint, and interactive games. A way for students to interact using this technology is through games created by teachers and used in the PowerPoint lesson. Games such as Hollywood Squares, Jeopardy, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire are created using slides and links to answer the questions. Teachers may use a blank template and fill them with different answers for the students to use as a review. Teachers may even let the students create their own review using the blank templates. This activity can also be used in a small group or team setting.

 Advantages to the Students

Learning sciences research tells us that students learn much better “by doing” rather than “by listening.” This means that passive learning – the traditional lecture – is being replaced in our classrooms by more active learning activities that emphasize student problem solving, discussion, presentation and other “authentic” learning-by-doing-activities. (Day, 2004). By including students into the lesson it opens up a realm of possibilities because students can retain roughly only 10% of what they write down.

Teacher Apprehension

            So why are teachers not using technology that engages and interacts more frequently with students? There are many reasons why teachers feel apprehensive or uncomfortable using an interactive whiteboard, proxima and PowerPoint. The first of which could be the length of time from their college prep program until now. Teachers often get exposed to and learn new technologies in their teacher prep courses. Some might not have been prepared enough upon entering the workforce. Although the availability of technology in American schools has increased (US Department of Education, 2000), information released by The National Education Association (2004) indicates that less than 35% of public school teachers feel they are "well prepared" or "very well prepared" to use this technology effectively.

            The second reason is blockage from the school’s control or security system. Teachers claim that the firewalls and filtering systems create blockage in their attempts to educate and communicate with others with technology (Murray, 2004). The teachers and other users can become frustrated when they do not understand why a certain item like a website used for a scavenger hunt or a hyperlink in a PowerPoint are not available.

            The inconsistency from school to school is another reason. At one site there may be access to all different types of technology while at another the absence is very evident. The general public perception is that our schools are using technology and managing our resources in that area well. In several surveys done some schools do show nearly 100 percent use of technology while in others the use of technology is nonexistent (Starr, 2003).

Summary

The research has shown that there are proven benefits to using technology in the classroom. The ability to integrate technology into the classroom can add valuable information and ideas to our students.

By facilitating Proximas, PowerPoint, and interactive whiteboards our teachers will be able to reach a broader audience of learners.    

References

Beeland, W.D. (2002). Student engagement, visual learning and technology: can interactive

whiteboards help? Retrieved May 31, 2008, from www.apexavsi.com

Day, J. (2004). Enhancing the classroom learning experience with web lectures. Retrieved May 31, 2008 from http://smartech.gatech.edu/dspace/handle/1853/65

Hall, B. (2008, March 4). Explorations in learning. Message posted to Student Centered Learning, archived at http://secondlanguagewriting.com/explorations/Archives/2006/Jul/Studentcent
eredLearning.html

Jones, D. C. & Mungai, D. (2003). Technology-enabled teaching for maximum learning.

International Journal of Learning, (10), 3491-3501.     

Murray, C. (2004). Teachers: Limited time, access cut school tech use [Electronic version] e School news, 1-5

National Education Association. (2004): Technology in Schools. Retrieved May 31, 2008 from

http://www.nea.org/cet/

Rowcliffe, S. (2003) Using PowerPoint effectively in science education: lessons

from research and guidance for the classroom. School Science Review 84 (309).

Starr, L. (2003). Encouraging teacher technology use [Electronic Version] Education World, pg 1

US Department of Education. (2000). Internet access in public schools. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistic.

Watch the video related to technology

AUGUST 21, 2007 CBC NEWS

Help answer the question about technology

About Author

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Breaking the Technology Barrier: Using Technology in Education

Nuesoft Technologies Unveils Referral and Reseller Initiative
New Authorized Agents Program Reflects Company’s Strong Growth

ATLANTA – Nuesoft Technologies Inc. today announced its Authorized Agent Program, a new initiative to qualify resellers, agents, consultants, and other professionals who work with medical offices to distribute its ractice_management_software.html”>NueMD medical practice management software. The program aims to maximize sales opportunities for motivated Agents while increasing sales channels to offer more convenience and options for customers.

“Nuesoft’s successful and rapid growth has prompted us to open these indirect sales channels,” said Nuesoft Technologies President and CEO Massoud Alibakhsh. “Not only can we offer Agents excellent opportunities to share in an expanding market, but our carefully structured program also provides an invaluable foundation from which to build, ensuring Agents have the product knowledge and authority to offer the best service to prospective clients.”

The Authorized Agent designation comprises two categories of partners; resellers of NueMD, and organizations or individuals who act as referral sources. Nuesoft has developed a comprehensive infrastructure to support participating partners, including an online sales toolbox and an aggressive compensation plan.

“We’ve created an environment to ensure our partners’ success,” said Director of Business Development Matt Parrack. “We are applying our Internet-based technology to create a virtual integration between Nuesoft and our Agent partners. This allows them to focus on their core competencies and will simplify the time it takes for them to get up and running in the program.”

Resellers, agents and consultants interested in joining Nuesoft’s Authorized Agent Program should contact Nuesoft Technologies Director of Business Development Matt Parrack at (800) 401-7422, ext. 213
Celebrating 15 years of service in 2008, Nuesoft Technologies Inc. is the leading provider of Internet-based medical practice management software and medical billing software for physicians’ offices, billing companies and university health centers. Nuesoft was one of the first companies to pioneer software as a service (SaaS) and has the datacenter facilities to support secure and HIPAA-compliant application hosting. The company’s established U.S. customer base counts more than 5,700 medical providers covering 47 specialties across 49 states, as well as an international presence. For more information on Nuesoft, visit Nuesoft Technologies or call (800) 401-7422.

Watch the video related to technology

This is an amazing video about stuff we never knew. Hope you enjoy! By the way, the song used in the video is “Right Here, Right Now” by Fat boy Slim. Rate, Sub, Comment

Help answer the question about technology

Perhaps technology has aided the development of English or there may not be any relationship between the growth of technology and language at all!

Open floor, I'm in search of all sorts of opinions!

About Author

Nuesoft Technologies