Today I did some research on online newspaper resources, comparing and contrasting what an actual printed copy would give a reader, rather than an online site. I focused on the area's newspaper, The Lufkin Daily News, and this is what I found.

InClass 6—Online News

Newspaper Name: Lufkin Daily News

Story/ Topics: Snow day, dietitian speaks at high school, funeral of Charlie Wilson

Features: color, graphics, advertisements, stories, weather

Newspaper website: http://www.lufkindailynews.com/

Items on home page: advertisements (web banners), motion graphics, photo slideshows (for top stories), calendar, weather

3 stories to compare:

First story I saw discussed the winter weather in the Lufkin/Nacogdoches area- This story offered several photos to see the different parts of the area with snow.

Second story I clicked on was Charlie Wilson’s funeral service. This story offered several pictures to see of the event with little to no story attached.

Third story I look at was a case files by the city of Dallas and the Texas Water Development Board that the Supreme has decided not to hear. This story offered a detailed of the updated news.

The content of these stories were completely different but offered either several photos, descriptive story or captions to photos to tell the story.

Reading an actual newspapers gives me the chance to use my sense of touch. I am appreciative of the printed newspaper because I know that was the one things used to be and how much time is put into making/printing one. Although, I enjoy seeing the stacks of newspapers in front of buildings, it now the digital realm, where I am always on the computer. It is convenient for me to ready online where I am always connected getting the latest news a click of a mouse. Some news forums or resources are not free, like some newspapers are. Many times you have to pay for a subscription of the online newspaper in order to view its daily upload.

As an editor of the newspaper, I would prefer my newspaper to have a broad range of news topics. It is important to note that the area or different parts of the nation are becoming more diverse and culturally aware, where it is key to make that active in the newspaper awareness. If my newspaper were an online version, I would like the website to feature a lot of interactivity between the viewer and the story. Perhaps, instead of written articles, they would be audio clips, or video clips, more photos and color. The newspaper would perhaps be supported through advertising, since online advertising is becoming very big due to the transition in social/digital awareness. I think a lot of newspaper will see more progressive and feedback with an online version, where print will slowly decline.

More these days, generations are becoming more technologically savvy and are able to navigate across the www. With that, it is important to keep that older media begin to evolve into digital news. Current online newspapers have the ability to print the pages where that is sometimes convenient for someone working from home or always in the office. Online is the way to go.

If you have any thoughts, let me know :)

Thanks,

Jude

Health Blog- Blogtalkradio

Blogtalkradio.com

The first blog I listened to was a health blog that discussed "Fighting Weight Gain and Depression in a Recession." What I noticed first was that the host introduced herself well so that I could fully understand who she was and what certification she has. She is of Christian faith and talks with a viewpoint of God. She started off with a scripture from the Bible and related the rest of her talk to the reading. She assured listeners that she believed in you and does God and that the listener is not alone. She said that you could call in to chime in about your experiences where you might have been lost or thoughts about weight loss/gain, etc. She went into what feelings what might be associated with depression due to weight gain and the effects of weight gain.

Twitttv.com

This is a 'weekly, monthly, or whenever we get around to it' video segment on what they think is the latest and greatest on twitter. He introduced different users on Twitter- geeks, art re-makers, web junkies, etc. Each Twitter had a different niche and had thousands of followers on the social site.

The Wireless Future of Medicine

The world of medicine is forever advances, and with the constant changes and upgrades in technology, medicine is evolving to the wireless realm. Since the invention of the stethoscope in 1816, wireless medical devices are the future to saving lives in and out of the hospital. One of the first adaptations to the this changing technology is a electrocardiogram that has the ability to be seen on a iphone or smartphone that shows the cardiovascular information of a real patient to be seen at anytime, anywhere. You might be checking your e-mail now, but in the near future you will be checking your vitals, such as heart rhythm, blood pressure, oxygen, temperature, all available from hospital to smart phone. What if an expecting parent would have the ability to monitor continuously the fetal heart rate or contractions so as to not to worry till delivery? What if you could measure your glucose with a "stick on" patch on skin, instead of implants? What if you could track your sleep where every minute could be tracked by how deep you sleep? What if you could manage your weight hour by hour? All of this is now going wireless and as an application on the iphone. One of the most recent and being advertised is the a handheld ultrasound stethoscope.

All of this is helping the medical field and doctors, but more importantly patients. Patients don't have to worry as much about ending up on a hospital bed with a constant wireless monitor through their iphone. These inventions will also further the advancement and detection of diabetes, breast cancer, atrial fibrillation, and sudden cardiac death, where the sensors can be of easy access and transportation. The smart phone is one of the most important and most used devices of the day, where taking advantage of that will be of much use for the medical field.

Keep an eye open for wireless medical equipment.

Augmented Reality

Search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing provide maps and directions to places all around the world. Once an address, location or directional points are entered into the search engine, it is possible to sort of be in two places at once. Bing Maps provides a punched up interactivity level of mapping. Microsoft has created a new augmented-reality for users to coexist in two places at once. The program gives basic and fluid ability to zoom in and out, pan in different directions and view photographs of the location. As you zoom in, you can three dimensionally see what might be a "Sim-city" imagery that you can view in all directions. Green dots will pop up indicating that someone has taken a photo of that area or of something that represents that location. Once you zoom in or "fly down," it seems as though you are standing at that specific location or intersection. What the program also offers is the ability to phase three dimensionally through intersections, roads and buildings. Once at the location you have the ability to pull up Flikr photos that have been uploaded of other people at a different time at that same location. The same image that Bing Maps gives for the location might be the same photo that Flikr shows but taken at a different type, etc. The augmented reality comes into affect when the user has the ability to actually enter a store or any location (so as long the information is there). Not only is the company photography on tops of cars outside, but photographing with a backpack camera inside of stores. The best part about this is that not only can the map give you the photograph of the location but also stream live video. If it has the ability to press play, you can actually watch video feed of the location. In addition of all this, Microsoft has engineered a world-wide telescope that when you pan the map towards the sky, the sky turns into satellite view of stars and constellations. You can change the date, time, and zoom in on planets, etc, providing satellite images of the such masses.

This changes the way we interact with the worldly locations. We can freely experience other locations and cities through the interaction of Bing Maps. The technology has pushed reality into another stream of interactivity, giving the user full control.

Check out Bing Maps.

Below are some pictures of what Bing Maps offers.