My new subsite assignment in ICT 12,

http://www.myndrs.com/jpham/

For an ICT assignment, the iPad done with glogster, http://bit.ly/9F7Kv8

There is a rumor that the 4.0 version OS for the iPhone will support multi tasking. There is similiar milti tasking currently on the iPhone, but currently it requires one to close the running app to open up another.

It is said that it will look like the Apple's desktop Expose with icons at the bottom for quick switching in between apps. Hitting the home button twice will pop up the expose feature. When a selection is made, Expose will zoom out and open up the new application. A faster and truer way of multitasking for the iPhone.

Though it is still a rumor, it would be nice to see an update like this out.

Here is a page, featured on eweek abotu why Python is a force on the web. It is an open source code and runs on some nokia phones and the major operating systems. Python is actually not named after a snake, but based on Monty Python's Flying Circus; a televsion series in England. The link to the page, http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Cloud-Computing/15-Ways-Python-Is-a-Powerful-Force-on-the-Web-275427/?kc=EWKNLEDP03302010A

Soon the big companies will be able to provide 100 mbps services with no problem. Downloading a movie with it will be faster than a trip too the movie store. Though this is already here today, the question is will people use this. Business companies already have acess to this and pay around $300+ a month for this service.

For most companies, no matter what the speed is, people usually go for the plan that costs roughly $40-50 a month. Though before speeds were lower and it costed the same, companies will most likely adjust to the price range to make it more affordable for families. Their goal is too have over 100 million users with 100 mbps by 2020

With names ranging from iPad to iTablet, this new product is expected to make a big impact on us. The iPad has a 9.7-inch touch screen, is a half-inch thick, weighs 1.5 pounds and comes with 16, 32 or 64 gigabytes of memory. It is also equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity built in. The battery is said to last for 10 hours and a month on standby. It is basically bigger than an iPhone, but smaller than a laptop. The price will be starting at $500 (US) and increases depending on size of storage.

Sophos has triggered a warning on a virus from one of my classmate's blog. It could be a false positive alarm. The reason could be one of the scripts that he or she has installed recently and it triggered it. Symantec Endpoint Protection has not detected anything wrong with the blog, but Sophos has. The virus is labelled as Mal/FunDF-A.

The CES is a show that lasts for about a week and it is a chance to show off the latest product. This takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada every January. The event is sponsored by Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The event is used to attracted high profiled people such as Bill Gates and is a opportunity to show off new products.

A product shown at the latest CES is Project Natal for the Xbox 360. It is code name for a controller-free gaming and entertainment experience. Natal means "relating to birth", meaning the new generation of home entertainment.

Using software, sensors and cameras, it will allow the users to use their body as the gaming controller. It will target the non hardcore gamers that was orignally meant for the xbox 360. Though they will still keep the controller for the gamers to play their games happily.

The range will likely being in the price of $99 compared to the $50 price for the normal controllers.



The HP/Microsoft Slate was also annouced at CES. It is a PC based platform in the size of a kindle reader. It is more powerful than a phone and alsmot as strong as a regular PC. They are calling it the slate to differ it from the pen to screen lag that usually occurs in products that has a touch screen.

It will be a natural interface for users that does not requrie the mouse and keyboard like most computers do.

Apple is also rumored to come out with their own i-version of the slate.



Some interesting tweets by Mr. Vogel
http://twitter.com/PeterVogel/status/7468749070

Twentieth Century Fox has budgeted $237 million for the production of "Avatar." Cameron was behind the lens using a "virtual camera" It is a handheld monitor that lets the director walk through the computer-enhanced 3-D scene and record it as if he were the cameraman. The effect on screen seems up close and sometimes focuses the audience's gaze at something in particular. Before when capturing human motion, they now capture the slightest detail down to the pore to create a better realism.

Though all this is new, not all the movei theatres have the screen to apply the 3teachnolog too the movie.

Twitter is a simple online tool that lets user interact with others. Some useful things are being able to follow other people so you get their latest tweet (post) and the other way around. People can follow you and get the latest post you made. Twitter can be used in a professional sense. My ICT teacher Mr. Vogel uses twitter and his followers are mostly educational users. His twitter link is located here, http://twitter.com/petervogel

There are some new web programs that uses flash and the user interacts with it.


inudge,
http://inudge.net/index.en.html#

inudge is a site where you can make your own music using many different beats, it's simple to use and has great results. There is a spot at the bottom for latest music created and also most listened too, so that you can view what other people have created


Sumo Paint 2.0
http://www.sumopaint.com/home/

It is an online program that has the look similiar to photoshop. You can choose to use is online from their site or download it it. The symmetry tool (the snowflake one) follows the mouse with a symmetrical pattern and it has a nice effect too it.


The site where you can find other useful tools like these is at ict 11-12 wikispaces
http://ict11-12.wikispaces.com/

The top 10 programming languages by eweek,
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Application-Development/Top-10-Microsoft-Programming-Languages-704642/?kc=EWKNLEDP11302009A

The top 10 languages are,
C++
C#
Visual Basic
IronPython
IronRuby
JavaScript
F#
PHP
"M"
Axum

Bomomo
is a online art program that does some fancy effects. http://bomomo.com/

Blog
worth visit to learn about soccer, http://ict12gdelorenzo.blogspot.com/

Class Wiki
In ICT class, we have a class wiki at http://ict11-12.wikispaces.com/
It contains the things we learned in ICT 12 and other useful resources for computer users.

The Kindle Reader is soon to become available to Canada purchase by Amazon.com. It was suppose to be sent here sooner, but was delayed for awhile. This new portable handbook will be in competition with the Shortcover e-book service Indigo Books & Music Inc. This hand held will have access to more than 300,000 books and is part of a 3G wireless network so the user can download from anywhere. The only way to get it is online for about $259 (US) + shipping and handling.

What you will be making
http://sixpop.com/images/file/33903866.png

Step 1
Open up a new document, It can be white, black or any color you desire. I will be using the size 1024x1000px. You can follow it or not.

Warning: lots of images ahead

Step 2
Next I went to deviantart and downloaded a pattern by xe0s. you can download the pattern by him here

Grab the paint bucket and fill the background layer with the color #272727.

Open up the .psd file of the pattern you had just downloaded. Hide the background layer, and the top layer so you're left with the pattern layer


Now go to Edit >> Define Pattern

Name it something and hit OK


Step 3
Make a new layer on top of the background layer and go to Edit >> Fill


Lower the layer opacity of the pattern layer to around 20%

Step 4
Grab the Rectangle Tool (U) and make a box like so. Hex: #dfdfdf


Stroke color: #454545


Step 5
Now I cut a piece of the pattern out for the logo, you can do that or use the one I cut out from it.


Paste it neat the top left.


Step 6
Now for your site name, if it is two words make it 2 colors but one, just pick a color. Blenz Design is 2 so I chose two colors.

First word "Blenz" Hex color: #272727
Second word "Design" Hex color: #575757

Then position them nicely to each other.


Step 7
Navigation Time

Make a bar so that it fits under the site title area but not as wide as the box.


Pop up blending options for the bar.


#272727 - #191919 - #272727


Step 8
Now type in the text. I used "Arial" (default font) at size 15. Hex colors: #ffffff


Step 9
Now make a box and match it up with the navigation bar (same width but bigger length) with the color: #d6d6d6


Now add the text.
About - #272727 Size: 18, Font: Arial
Dummy Text: - #575757 Size: 12, Font: Arial

Dummy text website: Click Here



Step 10
Duplicate the box for the "about box" and move it down. Give it some space.


Make the text like above but this, using two, so sue the 2 colors.


Now make it something like below, still using Arial, but experiment with font size and use the 2 colors 272727 and 575757


Step 11
Make a new layer and grab a 1px brush. Color: #cecece


"Update": #575757 | Size: 12
"New site look": #272727 | Size: 18

Once again, grab the dummy text and paste it on. Size: 12 | Color: #272727


Step 12
Now just fill up the rest using the step above.

Example


Step 1

Start off with a new document, any size, I will be using a small size of 300x100. I took out the paint bucket(G) and filled it with a hex color of #282828.

Step 2

No take your text tool(T) and type any text big enough for you see clearly, pick a text that isn't grungy or hard around it's edges by more of a smooth one (Arial works fine) I used "reservoir grunge" at size 40px. Make sure your foreground color is white so your text is white right now.



Step 3

Now time for blending options (right click the text layer and click "blending options")

You can use my settings or something similar to it. Playing around with settings gives best results.

Inner Shadow color: #ffffff


Bevel highlight color: #3e3e3e


Satin color: #000000


Gradient color: Leave as default (black and white)


Stroke gradient color: 3a3a3a - 444444 (left to right)


After blending options



Step 4
Duplicate text layer, select one of the text layer and name it reflection.
Go to Edit >> Transform >> Flip vertical



Grab a big fuzzy brush eraser (E) and erase the bottom of the reflection and other parts until it is faded away. Then lower reflection opacity to a low amount. I erased and lowered to 12% (Make sure to rasterize the layer)

End Results


For the heck of it, here's what it looks like when inverted (new layer, image >> Apply image, CTRL + I)

Made a blog template,
http://sixpop.com/files/32/blendtmeplate.jpg

We are now wrapping up Turbo Pascal and moving onto Visual Basic.

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