Hi Everyone,
After reading @peechie’s most recent post about “Q&A” on Formspring, I decided to sign up for the Question Asking service as well. Just click here, type in your anonymous question, and I will answer it. So if there is anything that you really wanted to know, you can ask it here.
You can also click on www.formspring.me/dccp
Cheers
Deanna
There have been rumors and rumblings for the past couple years about a Apple Tablet that combines the iPod, iPhone and Macbook all into one nicely sized tablet screen. I have been eagerly awaiting hearing any news about this, and am always on the look out for any new comments on the Internets. Every month it seems there is a post promising the Apple tablet’s emergence into the world “next month” or “any time now”, yet it never shows.
This week, the Nook by Barnes and Noble was released, which of course has spun much discussion on this being the precursor to the Apple tablet. This fascinating eBook reader seems to put the Kindle to shame, yet as I was looking at product demos it seemed vaguely similar to something I have seen before. Now, the Nook has a much fancier screen (in color), with 3G and Wi-Fi, yet the more I looked at it, the more it seemed reminiscent of the Apple MessagePad 2100 a.k.a. the Newton.
So I immediately tasked myself to go find a Newton to confirm my suspicions. Lo-and-behold, a wonderful professor of mine had one in his possession. So I took a peek at it. This MessagePad 2100 (Newton) was created in 1989, has a bright blue/green back-light, decent sized 8″x4″ screen, weighs about 1.25 lbs, but seems as sturdy as an Otterbox Case. This “tablet” style mini-computer has a stylus that you use to write on the screen, which uses a writing recognition software to convert the writing into text (Plus the writing recognition learns from your writing style – more than I can say for many of the writing recognition applications built for the Apple iPhone).
With different sound capabilities, a 28.8k modem (though quite zippy since the files maintain a very small size on this machine – and keep in mind this thing’s battery life far outshines my Apple iPhone which only lasts me 12 hours when not using it), mail.app, notes, calendar, organizational assistant, games and more, I was intrigued by this machine that is 20 years old. Yes, this tablet style computer with a word processor, with a touch screen, address book, writing recognition, and with Internet (and the ability to fax), seems too good to be true. Yet, I sat there holding it in my hands wondering how the long awaited Apple tablet doesn’t sound like it has changed all that much, expect with the addition of color screens, better resolution, and access to the Apple App Store (But any critics of the potential new tablet are skeptical about it being able to maintain enough battery life). The Nook and Kindle also don’t seem to have come very far in comparison either, they are simply eBook readers with Internet (and a white case). I think a modern day revision of the Newton would be a welcome product, seeing as Apple already pretty much has had the beta out for 2 decades.
I am not going to stop waiting with baited breath for a glimpse of a modern tablet from the Apple store. Though now that I have seen what Apple was capable of 20 years ago in a tablet style portable computer, I think I will wait on buying a Nook or Kindle, and just hold out for the Apple Tablet. If history proves anything, it will definitely be good.
Cheers,
Deanna
I was sitting with my mother today, reading through children’s books (for early learning of the alphabet). As we flipped through the pages of The Walt Disney book “Learning the Alphabet A through Z – Learn to Read” we came across many great Disney characters.
We got through letters, A, B, C, and D, on the first 2 pages, and thought the book was quite quaint and innocent. Until we got to the Letter F.
Just thought it was necessary to post this amusing children’s book. Though I wonder what a elementary classroom these days would do if they got their hands on this book. . . Free reign to say “F” words?
Cheers,
Deanna
A continuation of my reading on Plato’s Republic (a few more thoughts):
Within Plato’s “just” city, he is set in believing this utopia can be achieved through specific educational curriculum and societal laws. I am skeptical this could be accomplished, yet when considering many research studies within modern psychology, I feel that his belief of an ideal city could potentially be warranted.
Plato’s ideal city will have educated its’ citizens from childhood, to conform and believe in their harmonious society. A majority of the citizens will be kept in the dark about the actual truth of the world (the allegory of the cave), as according to Plato’s educational regimen, only the best of the best will be able to go forward into learning the truth. At times, it seems reminiscent of many isolationist cults or even the systematic censorship within the former USSR. One of the issues the Soviet Union suffered from was not taking into account the concept of self-serving human nature and the abuse of power. The guardians may be taught and bred to believe that dying for the greater good would be noble, yet human psychology dictates that self-preservation is an innate factor.
I propose an interesting question: if Plato designed this complex and almost life long educational curriculum, to shape and mold the guardians of this ideal society, how can Plato consider himself competent enough to develop this curriculum and how would he deal with the unpredictability of the human condition?
Cheers,
Deanna
I have been reading Plato’s The Republic, and have had a few different thoughts bouncing around in my head. In the world of education, Platonic thinking seems to arise when you least expect it, and the more I read, the more I feel like I do not know enough. Five million questions came to mind when reading Plato, like whether or not he truly believed a perfect City could be achieved, or whether it was simply an idealistic fantasy. Either way, I know I have only started to brush off the surface of understanding what Plato was trying to say.
Nonetheless, here are the three main thoughts that arose from my reading Plato’s The Republic – Books 1 – 4:
Learning:
Persuasion is only possible when the other person is listening, as noted in the statement “But can you persuade, if we refuse to listen?” in book One. In the context of education and the shaping of impressionable minds, I find this statement to be noteworthy. If a student is not open to the concept of listening, and the possibility of growing their knowledge base, their opposition hinders the learning process.
The Ideal City and Music:
The education of the members of the ideal city focuses on following the rules, and a strictly censored learning and content. I found Plato’s stance on music education to be fascinating, as his belief that certain harmonies evoke certain emotions, virtue and a “good” soul, while “bad” harmonies or music can corrupt and “latch onto” the soul. Now in today’s society, and as a musician/composer myself, I find it difficult to wrap my mind around having my Art censored. Upon consideration within the “Ideal Just City”, I can completely understand why there would be specific restrictions on the types of music that will be a part of education, as creativity and thinking “outside-the-box” could be catastrophic to the organized structure of the just society.
An Interesting Side Note on “Bad Music”:
Throughout history, certain types of music have been banned for their potential to evoke emotions that were incongruent with the ideals of that time. The augmented fourth interval, also known as a tritone, has been used consistently as an example of a “bad” interval, with a historical connotation of being dissonant and “evil” (even used today in horror films to evoke “evil”).
As there are different overtones that occur from different intervals, it could be quite possible that certain harmonic scales could be particularly disturbing to someone who associates the tritone with “evil”, due to their societal music education. Overtones are the natural resonance of an instrument, as instruments emit harmonic frequencies in addition to their fundamental pitch.
There were so many themes and ideas that came out of my readings, yet I felt that these three topics were my favourites. Any thoughts?
Ciao
Deanna
I have been testing out the Panasonic RP-HC500 Noise Cancelling Headphones for the past few weeks. I have taken these lightweight silver headphones with me to various pubs, coffee shops and libraries to test out their ability to mask out talking and ambient sound around me while I try to study or write.
Panasonic RP-HC500 Headphones While Writing
The Pros:
These headphones are very clear in the treble and mid-range, with the ability to have the volume turned up quite high without distortion. The bass sounds are good, yet there is room for improvement, in comparison to the Bose Quiet Comfort 15’s. The earcups that wrap around the ear, are extremely comfortable, and allow for even my loop earrings to fit inside the headphone cup.
I was skeptical at first that headphone cord would not be long enough, yet it has not bothered me at all, and the headphone cord length seems to be the perfect length while working with a Macbook Pro sitting on your lap while drinking coffee/tea/beer. The headband portion of the headphones has a comfortable squishy headband that keeps my head from hurting, and there is enough extension room in the headband to allow for large heads or even large hair that you dont want to muss up.
The noise-cancellation is wonderful, and does a great job of cancelling most sounds in the ambient environment. As I will note below in my Cons list, the high treble frequencies of pop music are unavoidable with this headphones, and those sounds still seem to seep through the comfortable bubble of silence that these headphones provide.
The Cons:
As I mentioned before, the bass range of these headphones in comparison to the Bose Quiet Comfort 15’s could be a little better, though in comparison to every other headphone I have tried so far, the Panasonic RP-HC500’s are far superior. Sound-wise, the noise-cancellation is great, though background music at a coffee shop or pub isn’t completely cancelled by the headphones. Unfortunately, it seems like most of the lower frequencies are cancelled, but the very high treble of the pop music or bad 80’s rock doesn’t go away. You are left with a comfortable cone of silence, with the occasional burst of Cindi Lauper’s high pitch voice coming through. I would have to say in comparison to almost all other noise-cancelling headphones, these are wonderful, though a bit more adjustment to eliminate outside ambient music would be fantastic.
Other problems with the headphones, in comparison to the Bose QC15’s include the fact that while the headband portion is quite comfortable, there is almost a tension that could create a headache over a long period of use. The earcups hold very close to the head, and seem to create a pressure just behind the temples for people who may have a very large head. By large head, I mean someone who has more than a 24″ Inch head circumference an inch above the ear.
The Verdict:
All in all, I am extremely glad I bought these headphones, and have been thoroughly enjoying the noise-cancellation and wonderful sound that they have provided me. @nachoman, from http://blog.nachbaur.com/ has taken to borrowing these headphones while he has been working on his Apple iPhone App development, and since he has a much smaller head circumference that I, he is able to fully appreciate these headphones without “large head” headaches. So my final verdict on these headphones is: Wonderful headphones for $209 Canadian dollars, amazing sounds, great noise-cancelling, and comfortable for your ears. If you have a large head (hat size 24″+), you likely will get pressure headaches after 4-6 hours of straight headphone wearing. If you are looking for a cone of silence, with no outside noise in the least, you will want to get the Bose Quiet Comfort 15’s instead, though at $350+ it may not be worth it. These headphones are completely worthwhile, and I plan on keeping them for a while. Plus they come with their own hardshell carry-case that makes tossing them into my laptop case a breeze.
Have a great day everybody!
Ciao
Deanna
As I mentioned yesterday, I have been on the hunt for a comfortable and good quality pair of noise canceling headphones. I have always enjoyed sitting at a coffee shop or restaurant (typically sitting on a cushy couch) and spending several hours on my laptop, studying or reading. Sitting at a cafe means that headphones are pretty much essential for blocking out the horrible pop music incessantly playing, or to block out the unwanted chit chat from fellow cafe visitors. Since I have decided not to buy the Bose Quiet Comfort 15 headphones (as they are sold out in store anyhow), I have narrowed down my search to two slightly cheaper but comparable options.
The Audio-Technica ANT-ANC7 Quiet Point Noise Cancelling Headphones
or
The Panasonic RP-HC500 Noise Cancelling Headphones
After looking at the reviews of both pairs of headphones it seems that they are both comparable in quality and comfort. It looks like the Panasonic headphones may be a bit more comfortable around the ears though, since they supposedly have a roomier ear-cup. According to their manufacturer’s websites the Audio-Technica’s are 7.4 ounces and the Panasonic’s are only 6 ounces, though I am not sure if this is including the AAA battery that goes in the right headphone to power noise cancellation. Either way, my original choice in a headphone was the Bose Quiet Comfort 15’s that weigh in at 7.3 ounces, so the Panasonic headphones seem to be the big winner out of all three at a whole ounce lighter.
I have decided to get the Panasonic RP-HC500 headphones, with a pricetag of $209.99 over at Best Buy. I know I could just order them online for about $150 USD plus shipping, but then again I really am needing the headphones for this week, and I don’t want to wait a week or two for the shipment to show up.
Once I get my hands on my new shiny fun headphones, I will be sure to write about the difference between them and the Bose QC15 headphones.
Ciao for now,
Deanna
I have been searching for the past couple months for a good pair of Noise Canceling Headphones. Not a pair of ear bud style ones, but a nice comfortable pair of ear-cupping anti-background noise headphones.
So the search began with trying on one of the most expensive headphones on the market, the Bose Quiet Comfort 15’s. The 15’s are the newest Bose headphones on the market, and replacing the Bose Quiet Comfort 2’s. I went over to the Bose Store at Pacific Centre, and tried on these thick cushy headphones, that seemed to just melt onto my head with the weight of a feather. I turned on the sample music tracks provided by the wall mounted music player, and began to listen to some of the clearest audio I have ever heard. The salesman for Bose stood beside me spouting off all the technical mumbo-jumbo about the headphones, yet all I wanted to do was listen to the music being played. Turns out that noise-canceling was not activated just yet on the headphones, which is why I could still hear the salesman blabbering on.
Now, I am not one to just throw $350+ away for a pair of headphones that are simply comfortable and have good audio, I wanted to know what made these headphones so darn expensive. So I asked. When the overly cheerful and almost robotic sales guy turned on the “Airplane Noise Simulation” of the cacophonous imitation of a jet engine taking off, I couldn’t really see how putting these headphones on would simply make the noise go away. I doubt even my earplugs I use for travel or sleeping wouldn’t be able to mask the loud airplane racket emitting from the store’s speaker system.
I took the headphones, and put them on my ears only to be absolutely amazed. The loud track that mimicked ambient sounds of a noisy airplane cabin no longer rang through my head, nor could I even hear the salesman talking to me. All I could hear was the gentle guitar strums and crooning of the folk singer on the mp3 playing on the sample audio track. It was pure bliss! How did I ever survive without a pair of these.
At a $350+ price tag, I of course wanted to think about this before purchasing these headphones. Most noise-canceling headphones have a rechargable battery pack that clips into the headset, yet these Quiet Comfort 15’s take one AAA battery to power the noise-cancellation, which will only last about 30 hours worth of listening time. Sadly, when the battery dies, so does the sound of the music or audio you are listening to. On the other hand, it is a much better option to just pop in an easy to find AAA battery than have to bother to wait for your battery pack to charge, especially when you are on an 18+ hour flight with turbulence and crying babies around you. The headset also comes with a handy-dandy carrying case, to protect it from getting broken (and to protect it from people like me, who toss a wide variety of heavy objects into my luggage, not being cognisant of what else I have in the bag).
I was very excited to get my very own headphones, and aye! there’s the rub; There were no Quiet Comfort 15s left in stock. The store offered to sell me a pair of the Quiet Comfort 2s, and when they got the 15s in stock the store would call me, and I could then go through the hassle of returning the 2s and finally getting my hands on the 15s. Well, that is simply too much of a hassle for me! I only go downtown once a month or so, and I wasn’t about to make a special trip just to return a set of headphones at a later and unknown date.
Since I now have what you may call a Gold Standard for what I expect out of a noise canceling over-the-ear headphone, I am now in pursuit of a pair of headphones that are comparable to the Bose QC15 headphones, that are in stock either online or in a store.
Wish me luck!
~Deanna
Going back to school after being away for a couple years is a daunting thing. You worry about if you will be able to keep up with the rest of your class. You worry about if your writing skills are up to snuff. Most of all, you worry if you are going to be able to keep up with the excessive reading that is expected of you.
I started my Ph.D. this week, and was extremely excited to go to my first class. It is only one class per week, which with my migraines, vertigo and stomach problems, I figured would be up to my speed. I have seven other colleagues in my class, and of course all older than me, which I always find intellectually invigorating (since they typically have more life and work experience to rely on – instead of people who have never had a real job in their life).
I have taken a variety of courses over the past decade, and haven’t been what you might call overly enthused about the reading lists and discussions I have had. . . Until now!
My first task is to read Plato’s “The Republic”. It is not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination, nor is it a boring book. It is known as one of the most influential works of philosophical and political theory. I am reading the book as a part of an educational history course, that is looking at The Republic in the context of being an influential part of the evolution of education. Interesting, yes. . . The fact that I have to read this book in depth in under a week. . . ? Well, I am wondering how that is going to be realistically done. Baffled actually.
Over the years I have read numerous texts from the Academy, and have always been fascinated with the ingenuity and complexities of the Greek philosophers. I am only a few pages into The Republic, and I think I have either been out of academia a little too long, or that this book is quite a dense read that needs tender love and thought (not to mention, I think it is more a text that I could write my dissertation about, rather than read it in a week). Has anyone else read Plato’s “The Republic”? If so, what are your thoughts? (Please!)
I have been worried that maybe I am just behind on my reading, and that I am not reading at the same level I used to. It is funny how one can second guess themselves. Though when I consider it, I think I am just not in the same mindset I used to be. The material is interesting, I can relate it to my research, yet I can think of numerous other texts that would be more beneficial to my line of study than this book. I’m not sure. I think I am going to go back to reading and reconsider my opinion of this text in the context of academia, once I have gotten through the first book.
I will keep you all posted on my progress through my academic pursuits, since it is always nice to know that even someone who has been in school for a decade, still wonders if they can read fast enough.
Ciao,
~Deanna
