video game future

With video game technology advancing so fast and so far from where it started, one cant help but to entertain the idea of where its going to go from here. After all, that is part of a larger creative process and wed like to think that our writings contribute even in some small way. One of the earliest video games that we can remember is Commodores Pong. But never did we think the industry would have reached the point where it is today.  One thing is for sure however, and thats the gaming is pushing full force ahead.

Today we did a little fantasizing to see where our imagination and desires would take us.
The following offers some suggestions of what could be done short of a little thing called, impossible.

Were a little intrigued with the Sun Game Glasses idea. Wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and using the technology implemented by Nintendos Wii system, we could literally watch a game take place right before our eyes and then interact with it using a device thats about the size of a pen. Since this isnt exactly a new idea, were curious to watch what develops from University of South Australias 'ARQuake' project - a springboard for this kind of gaming to develop in the near future for sure.

Another cool idea wed like to see erupt within the gaming industry is the ability to talk to the characters inside a game. Some games allow players to textually speak to game characters already, but wed like to see this pushed a little further. Wed like to be able to orally interact with characters: ask questions, joke around, warn and speak to them as if we were speaking to another human being. And wed like to hear these characters talk back! Its the ultimate artificial intelligence opportunity and although it would probably be years before this technology would be available on a wide scale, were sure it would be a hit.

Will we ever get to the point where we can play inside a simulated environment the way the characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation could play? Virtual reality is getting close, but the reality of the simulation is gone the moment we put on the silly-looking goggles and gloves. In order for simulation of this sort to work, there has to be as little a barrier between gamers and the game as possible. We dont what to just think were inside a game, we want to feel that were inside a game and to be honest, we dont want to have to go somewhere outside our home to do so.

The television or computer screen will suffice for now, but in the future, were going to want to be surrounded with the elements that make gaming the wonder that it is today. Were going to want to transform our dens or bedrooms into a virtual alien ship or simulated jungle. In short, we want a new world.

One possible obstacle to bringing this fantasy into our living rooms is public acceptance. Would the public be ready for such a high level of entertainment? And could the public handle it? Immediately following Nintendos Wii release, customers were ready to complain that they wanted their old controller back! So as with any new development, there will surely be unintended consequences and although were gung-ho for these types of advances, we also share concerns about the impact it would have on an audience that isnt virtually ready.

As a result, we can certainly envision a few laws introduced that restricted the use of our fantasy gaming. We already have some laws that attempt the same now and in our opinion, thats a good thing. The last thing we want to encounter in gaming is physical harm  especially when were trying to enjoy virtual entertainment!

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Smartphones

If you havent heard of smartphones, wed like to learn where youve been hiding all this time. Smartphones have been all over the news and chances are, you do know what they are  only you know them under a different name. Smartphones are mobile phones with computer like capabilities.

Whats that? Aha! Yes, youve not only heard of them, youve probably seen them as well.  Packed with Internet access, email capabilities, address books, and a whole lot more, cell phones have come a long way since their first debut. But be careful not to confuse these newest toys with sandbox devices.

Sandbox devices are tools that come pre-loaded with things like calendars, calculators, and a notepad. What differentiates them from smartphones is that users can add (download and install) additional programs to smartphones and they seemingly become mini portable computers for the people who use them. That  and the ability to edit the content that sits on them - is what makes these phones smart.

Some of the more popular brand names include the Blackberry, PalmSource, Nokia, and Windows CE. Yet the craze is extending to even some off-brand company names. Today, its hard to find a cell phone that doesnt offer some sort of smart technology because its in such a high demand. The convenience of having information at our immediate access is phenomenal  so much so that thousands of programmers have jumped on the opportunity to build unique applications specific to these small machines.

As a result, you can find tons of games, databases, GPA systems, weather reporting programs, and even small encyclopedias on these things  each accessible not at the click of a mouse  but at a few presses of a free thumb. Of course a mini keyboard is available for the text-messaging fan or for the poor fellow who cant seem to get away from the office. In the latter case, dont be surprised if you find the entire Microsoft Office suite displayed within a screen no bigger than a matchbook.

Is this a phase? Thats highly doubtful. The market for these devices extends from the highly technical and professional all the way to the pre-teen socialite. The product crosses all demographics and thanks to decreasing costs  it sees no economic boundaries as well. The Wikipedia encyclopedia claims that Out of 1 billion camera phones to be shipped in 2008, Smartphones, the higher end of the market with full email support, will represent about 10% of the market or about 100 million units.

But what is it that makes smartphones so appealing? As mentioned, smartphones give us the ability to not only carry our data around with us where ever we go, it also gives us the ability to edit that data any place  any time. In todays reality based generation, were always looking for the opportunity to capture and relive a moment. And we want to share that moment with others. At best, smart phones give us the opportunity to express ourselves impromptu with entertaining results.

Attempting to do the same with a bulky desktop computer or laptop is to cumbersome. Even some of the smallest peripherals (digicams, digital cameras, etc.) dont give us the same opportunities that smart phones do. Being able to carry around a device for communication, creation, recording, and editing simply compliments the need for todays generation to do more and then do it, faster!

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eLearning is the go of the age

The idea of eLearning is to popularise an indepth, convenient, interactive mode of education through the Internet.

Scientific research reveals that the best way of learning methodologies are the mix and match of 3 modes namely Instructor Led, Web Based and Computer Based. The popular terms are ILT, WBT and CBT. The more demand of career orientation in this highly competitive professional world and the simultaneous problems of routine study system through the formal mode of education (ILT) have left us with the only option of eLearning. The reach of the Internet to the furthest corner of the world has really eliminated the geographical distance. The forums and online helps have made eLearning real time. The laptop has given one the flexibility to enhance his skills even while traveling.

The time-bound schedule of ILT has put it slightly below in the common mode of learning. The lack of updations and upgradability in case of CBT has not allowed it to top the list even having the flexibility of carrying heavier graphics and movies. Rather now the people are becoming aware of even todays updates through Internet. The convenience factor in eLearning has been fueled by the factor of learning at ones own pace.  The dollops of at his own residence has made eLearning more dependable way of education.

Now, what are taught in eLearning? The answer in one word is Infinity. Some may teach Computers, some management, some again cooking and mixing. There are sites today, who are teaching  even plantation and e-security. Lets assume, you are tired at the end of the day and your strain has become a stress on you, which has started affecting your personal life badly. Dont you feel to get a course in Stress Management? If you think of the cost, it may be at a price of $100, that too on the higher side.

The prometric certifications have been continuing for long. Sun, Oracle and Microsoft have been continuing their online certifications for years. Many educational portals have come up in the recent past including some top shots coming up with their eLearning mode. eLearning caters to the need of the age group between 6 and 65. If a housewife does not find time or a senior executive of a multi-national firm feels shaky for attending courses with the junior people, eLearning is the only solution for him or her to accomplish further education and enhance the knowledge base.

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Charles Chaplin

What could be said about this great and prolific actor? An article isnt sufficient to describe the life of this immortal legend. A library of books written on him may still fall short of portraying the life of this never to be forgotten hero of Hollywood who gave innumerable memorable movies to us. Though he rose to fame mostly due to his silent movies but he conveyed so many things that many actors couldnt do through speech. Charles Spencer Chaplin popularly known as Charlie Chaplin was born in Walworth, London, U.K. on April 16, 1889. The people had given him nick names like Charlie, Charlot and The Little Tramp.
Charlie Chaplin was born in the family of entertainers. His parents Charles and Hannah Chaplin were musical entertainers. No wonder why he took to stage so early. He was only five years old when he had to sing a song on his mothers behalf as she became ill. There was no stopping this boy who toured in a musical called The Eight Lancaster Lads at the age of eight. The wonder kid continued his marvelous work appearing in Giddy Ostende at Londons Hippodrome. After that he worked with Fred Karno who had an English Vaudeville Troupe until the age of twenty-four. The troupe also brought him to New York in 1921 at the age of twenty one. He got his first break in December 1913 with Mack Sennet of Keystone. He moved to Hollywood, California the every next month to begin his long carrier both as actor and director. Charlie Chaplins first movie was Making a Living which released in February 1914. He acted and directed about thirty-five films with Keytone before moving to Essanay in 1915 where he did another fourteen films. Then he signed up with Mutual in 1916 and did another 12 films. He worked with Mutual until 1917. Then again next year he joined First National, which was later, acquired by Warner Bros. After a year i.e. in the year 1919 Charlie Chaplin formed United Artists collaborating with Mary Pickford, D.W. Griffith and Douglas Fairbanks. Then he gave his first ever full-length movie The Kid in 1921 produced under the banner of United Artists which was directed by him.
Charles Chaplin won a special award in 1929 Oscar Awards for his excellence in Writing, Producing, Directing and Acting for the movie The Circus which was released in 1928. Charlie Chaplin has the premiere of his 1931 movie City Lights in London where he stayed until 1932 and then returned to U.S. Chaplins next movie was five years called Modern Times which was released in 1936. The movie was one of the biggest all time hits. He made another movie after four years by name The Great Dictator in 1940 in which he portrayed as Hitler, which was criticized by many. But the film created a stir at the box office and also won many awards. He made Monsieur Verdouz in 1947 and released a talkie in 1952 called Limelight which is still remembered as his best talkie.
Chaplin had his share of controversies too. The U.S. Authorities accused him of spreading communism through his movies. After being devastated by these allegations he left for Switzerland. While being outside U.S. he produced two more films A King in New York in 1957 and his last film A Countess from Hong Kong in 1967. It saw a bad end to this wonderful artists works when it flopped on the box office, which was the only failure that the great actor had in his professional career. He tried his hands at new scores in 1969 including The Kid and The Circus. Academy Award honored him for his contribution to the film industry in 1972. Queen Elizabeth II knighted Charlie Chaplin in 1975. Charlie Chaplin ascended to peace on Christmas Day of 1977 while in his sleep leaving an era of artistic brilliance behind him and cherished memories to the avid viewers of his movies.

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Abraham Lincoln

We would like to think all of our presidents of the United States were truly great men and to be sure, just handling the awesome responsibility of the presidency takes a special kind of individual.  One of the unique and great things about the system of government in America is the concept of citizen leadership.  This is the idea of an ordinary citizen rising up and becoming president for a while and then returning to private life.

But of the handful of men who have held that office, a few have stood out for their great achievements and leadership in a time that changed the country for ever.  And one of these truly great presidents was Abraham Lincoln.  Probably more than any other president, Lincoln had to handle an internal civil war that was far more than shouting and name calling.  This was a dispute that could have torn the country in half and starting a rupturing that could have resulted in dozens of small weak independent states instead of the powerful nation we know as America today.

It was Lincolns leadership, his commitment to values and his strong moral fiber that made it possible for America to find its way through that war and then to begin the healing process that would eventually lead the nation back to unity once again.  Lincolns term of service from 1860 until his death was one of considerable challenge.  If he only had the problem of dealing with the attempt by the south to succeed from the union and his ability to keep those states as part of the American national territory, he would be lauded as a great American indeed.

One of the little known leadership styles that Lincoln used to his advantage in the organization of his presidency was his appointment of talented national figures from opposing political parties to be part of his cabinet.  Lincoln felt that he needed to have close advisors from the opposing viewpoint to keep from having his presidency become insulated from the American people and one sided.  By gathering members of the loyal opposition into his trusted inner circle, Lincoln was always aware of both sides of every issue which made him a stronger leader.

But that is not even his greatest accomplishment or the one that we remember him for the most.  His bold and unchanging opposition to slavery is without any doubt his greatest contribution to the history of America and indeed to world history as well.  When he was willing to put everything on the line to stop this barbaric social sin, Lincoln made a stand, against the popular opinion of the time in many cases that he would be the figure to bring slavery to an end.

It was not a stand that came without cost.  The civil war was one of the bloodiest and costliest in the nations history if for no other reason than all casualties; on both sides were casualties of America.  It would take many decades for the ravages of that horrible war to be repaired.  The schism between north and south continued for decades and is still a part of our national personality in this country.

But the end result was what Lincoln wanted to be his legacy.  By issuing the Emancipation Proclamation to make the end of slavery permanent, Lincoln followed that up with the passing of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments which made permanent the freedoms that were hard fought and won in the Civil War.

The freedom that was won for so many black Americans in that war permanently enshrined the memory of Abraham Lincoln as one of our greatest presidents in the hearts and minds of all Americans.  Small wonder the monument honoring him on Washingtons national mall is one of the most revered spots in the nation and one that thousands flock to each year to give respect for this great president that made liberty and freedom a reality for all Americans, not just a few.  And his face on Mount Rushmore is well deserved so the very mountain itself shouts out, this is one of the greatest leaders in the history of this great country.

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3 Hour Dieting

When it comes to the world of dieting you will find that there are many diet, weight loss, and fitness plans on the market. It takes years for some to become a contender and others remain a best-kept secret of sorts. One such best kept secret would be the 3 Hour Diet that was designed by Jorge Cruise. I am sure that there are many reading along and chuckling under your breath that there is no way one can lose weight by eating every three hours however the science behind the theory is fairly common and Jorge Cruise is a mainstay in the fitness industry.

The long and short of this diet operates with the knowledge that if you do not feed your body accurately and regularly your body will go into what is called starvation mode. In this mode your body holds onto the fat rather than burning it up and consuming it for use. This means that your body is burning muscle rather than fat to take the energy it needs in order to function.

With the 3 Hour Diet you will not feel hungry all the time, in fact, there are many who claim they are constantly setting alarms and reminding themselves to eat. You will also learn the proper foods to eat in order to achieve the best possible results. The key is in learning which foods are right for you when dieting with this plan. You can purchase the book The 3-Hour Diet by Jorge Cruise and you can sign up online for more information about the weight plan itself and how to incorporate it into your busy routine.

I do recommend purchasing the book if you are seriously considering this as your method of dieting as there are many wonderful hints, tips, and tricks that are mentioned in the book to help you keep things going no matter how busy and hectic your lifestyle may be. One thing you need to keep in mind is that dieting with a program such as this is no small commitment. You need to stick to the timetable as much as possible in order to achieve the results this plan is famous for. If you arent willing to eat every three hours then this plan really may not be the plan for you.

Otherwise, if this is something you would be interested in, I highly recommend it. There are special considerations based on the amount you weight currently and the amount of weight you are hoping to lose. It is best if you are honest throughout the process in order to achieve the best possible and most immediate results. The claim is that you can lose as many as 10 pounds in the first two weeks and there are those that have claimed to do just that over and over again. This is a diet that even many celebrities endorse for quick and immediate results.

The good and the bad about 3 hour dieting is that it is effective but takes a very real commitment on the part of the one that is dieting. This diet is one that is taking the world by storm. If you havent heard of it before now, please take the time to check it out and see if this is something you could incorporate into your life. The results that have been reported as a result of this diet as nothing short of phenomenal. If there were one diet I would recommend above others for those who hate feeling hungry, it would be this diet.

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Asteroids

There is a lot of exciting stuff going on in the stars above us that make astronomy so much fun.  The truth is the universe is a constantly changing, moving, some would say “living” thing because you just never know what you are going to see on any given night of stargazing.

But of the many celestial phenomenons, there is probably none as exciting as that time you see your first asteroid on the move in the heavens.  To call asteroids the “rock stars” of astronomy is simultaneously a bad joke but an accurate depiction of how astronomy fans view them.  Unlike suns, planets and moons, asteroids are on the move, ever changing and, if they appear in the night sky, exciting and dynamic.

Like rock stars, asteroids have been given their fair share of urban myth and lore.  Many have attributed the extinction of the dinosaurs to the impact of a huge asteroid on the earth.  This theory has some credibility and, if it is true, it evokes some pretty startling images and foreboding fears in the current reining species on earth, the human race.

The fact that asteroids are fast moving space debris only makes their movement and activity more interesting and exciting.  Unlike a moon, planet or star, the odds that an asteroid could hit the earth are entirely reasonable and in fact, there are many documented cases of small asteroids making it through our atmosphere and leaving some pretty impressive craters in the earth’s surface.

Popular culture has happily embraced the idea of an asteroid impact.  The idea has spawned many a science fiction story adding the idea that alien life forms may ride asteroids to our world and start a “war of the worlds” situation.  But by far, the most talked about concept that has captured the imagination and the fears of science fiction fans and the general public is of another asteroid hitting the earth that could wipe out life as allegedly happened to the dinosaurs.  In fact, the movie “Armageddon” was based on this idea and the concept that somehow mankind could avert that catastrophe with technology.

But probably the best way to calm our fears and replace science fiction with science is with understanding and knowledge.  The truth is, there has been a lot of study of asteroid activity and the serious scientific community has gained significant knowledge of these amazing celestial bodies.  A number of probes to asteroids have been conducted which have given us a wealth of information about their composition and how we might predict their behavior.

We now know that the majority of asteroids we get to witness come from an asteroid belt that exists between Mars and Jupiter.  It is from this community of asteroids that many of the notable asteroids emerged.  Scientists have gained significant knowledge about the composition of asteroids and separated them into classes including class S which comes of the part of the belt that is closest to Mars, classes C, D and V which are classified by composition and a class called “Centaurs” whose flight patterns take them closer to Jupiter and Uranus.

Some of the probes NASA has conducted on near flying asteroids have performed some pretty amazing studies of these eccentric celestial bodies.  In 1994 the Galileo probe got within 1000 miles of the asteroid Ida and discovered that Ida actually had its own moon.

Other probes have fired impactors into asteroids and even landed on an asteroid to produce some amazing scientific data for us.  There is much to learn about asteroids in our love of astronomy and that knowledge only makes our enjoyment of seeing them in the cosmos even more exciting.

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