It’s a big mess down south, no thanks to Katrina. If anybody would like to help with donations, I want to point out that Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit has a good roundup of donation links

BL Ochman, who’s been on the receiving end of charity back on 9/11/2001, has a specific recommendation.

My sister-in-law’s mom lives in Picayune, MS, and they finally heard from her today and she’s doing OK. But many others are not so lucky. If you’re living in relative comfort today, untouched by the disaster, please consider donating to help others get their lives back together.

Posted: August 31st, 2005 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

The Army will be working with videogame maker Ubisoft, to market itself to video game players.

Posted: August 29th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

A halo effect is described by Merriam-Webster as a generalization from the perception of one outstanding personality trait to an overly favorable evaluation of the whole personality. Michael Jackson’s fans are a good example of the halo effect in action. That he’s a cultural icon with so much talent clouds the vision of those who overlook the bizarre, degenerate behavior of their king of pop

The halo effect is also broadly applied to technology. Computers, PDAs, and cell phones are all wonderful in many ways. People often ascribe goodness to them, and neglect the negative ways in which they might be affecting us, or the environment we live in.

In a CNET blog post titled The travesty of techno-phobic doctors, Mike Yamamoto, can’t seem to understand why doctors don’t take up all of the technology that is being heavily marketed by the tech industry:

“For some reason, despite all the obvious benefits, many physicians have shown reluctance—sometimes even phobia—toward PCs and PDAs, even though they regularly use some of the world’s most sophisticated technological equipment in treating their patients.

…

“until they get over it [their technophobia], we may all lose out”.

That post is a perfect example of the halo effect being applied to technology. The tech companies marketing departments feed and milk the halo effect for maximum benefit to themselves.

Mr. Yamamoto doesn’t even stop to ponder the downsides of tech adoption by the healthcare professionals, or the possible reasons why they may be rejecting the latest gadgets. It could be that PDAs or Tablet PC’s don’t meet the needs of physicians. It could be that poorly designed software can cause medication errors. Who’s going to fix things when they break? Does that mean they have to hire an IT guy for the office now? Isn’t it just a bit scary that security problems in today’s operating systems and networks dominate the tech headlines? We are talking about people’s personal medical information here, right?

Another good example of halo effect would be the school that’s swapping textbooks for laptops.

Beyond the bells and whistles, the technology has to do as good of a job, or better than the current methods. If not, then the technology should be rejected until the designers get it right. Mr. Yamamoto, don’t blame the consumers for the tech industries failings. Until the technology industry understands good design, we are all losing out.

(Thanks to Question Technology for pointing this one out to me.)

Posted: August 26th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

Motorola phones let parents monitor kids

AUG. 24 10:38 A.M. ET Motorola Inc., the world’s third-largest mobile phone manufacturer, plans to make phones that would let parents monitor their children’s whereabouts and censor obscene content, Chairman and CEO Edward Zander said.

Posted: August 24th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
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Two studies on video game violence and increased aggression, released this month, are getting the headlines. On one hand, We have the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign releasing a study that says that there is
no strong link between the two. This was followed by a study by the American Psychological Association suggesting that violent interactive media
increases aggressive behavior.

What’s a confused parent to do?

My takeaway from this would be that parents need to take an active role making sure that their kids aren’t using excessively violent games at all, and not letting them use even moderately violent games to excess.

The APA is taking a position on the issue and is recommending that “all violence be reduced in video games and interactive media marketed to children and youth“. This position is based on the review of studies indicating that exposure to violence in video games:

• increases aggressive thoughts
• increases aggressive behavior
• increases angry feelings among youth
• reduces helpful behavior
• increases physiological arousal in children and adolescents

The press release by the University of Illinios reveals a few notable things that the headlines don’t reveal though.

• The average age in their study was 27.7
• They studied one game (Asheron?s Call 2) which is a “massively multi-layer online role-playing game” or MMRPG. I’m not sure how this game compares, in it’s level of violence, to something like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• The authors of the study “concede that other types of games and contexts might have negative impacts.” and they said “This game featured fantasy violence, while others featuring outer space or even everyday urban violence may yield different outcomes.“

So as a concerned parent, what I see is the APA taking a position based on their review of studies concluding that violence in video games has negative effects on kids, and an alternative study that says that a particular type of game played by a group of mostly adults didn’t indicate a link, but was hesitant in drawing any conclusions.

Dmitri Williams, lead author of the Urbana-Champaign study, said he believes it’s possible that games could spur children toward violent behavior, but that is not his chief argument: “I’m not saying some games don’t lead to aggression, but I am saying the data are not there yet,” Williams said. “Until we have more long-term studies, I don’t think we should make strong predictions about long-term effects, especially given this finding.”

I think I’ll be keeping my kids away from these violent games. I remember having a lot of fun with the classic Atari games. Proof that you don’t need realistic graphics and surround sound to have fun. If the kids complain and get bored with these simple games, well, I guess they can just go outside and play!

Posted: August 20th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 7

Ask a kid if they think that they’re video games are giving them an experience close to real life and they’ll probably tell you that, yes, they are. As technology strives to be more “lifelike” in how it renders images, and reacts to user feedback, I think people are more likely to accept the notion that it represents real life.

When I saw the headline Review: ‘Nintendogs’ a superb substitute, my reaction was “Oh, come on now!”

There is no substitute for the real thing:

The article goes on to make a handful of statements that I quote here:

As in the real world, obtaining a pet starts with a visit to the kennel.

Of course in the real world, it costs many hundreds of dollars, and you have to buy supplies, pet bed, food, worming pills, visit the vet, spend a couple of hundred more… Oh, and the choice is a bit tougher in the real world; You’re committed to your real world pet. It’s not like you can just hit the reset button and pick another one if the first one doesn’t work out.

The dogs are shown in 3D and do an amazing job of mimicking the real thing: they’ll sniff around, pant and bark when excited. (They even engage in some unpleasant but necessary business).

Oh how I wish that was all that Zoe did in the real world. Hell, I’d get a couple more dogs if that was the case. Does Nintendogs do a good job of simulating what it’s like cleaning doggie diarrhea out of the carpet. I don’t think so! Can you pull a tick off of your Nintendog?

You can “rub” your pet by stroking it on the bottom screen.

I have no response to that…

After only a few weeks, I’ve already formed an emotional attachment with my pixelated pup.

…and now it’s just getting wierd.

It’s this sort of bonding that ultimately makes “Nintendogs” the perfect test run for families considering a real dog — or anyone uncomfortable with the thought of pet dander, pooper scoopers and veterinarian visits.

How can something so far from reality be considered the “perfect test run” for families considering a real dog? It’s nonsense.

My friend Carl and his family are doing a much closer to perfect test run by hosting a dog for Guiding Eyes. It’s a great test run AND it’s a great public service. Kudo’s to Carl and his family.

At least the Nintendogs article ends with a bit of sanity:

“Nintendogs” certainly won’t replace our love and devotion for flesh-and-blood creatures — but it’s paws-down the cutest virtual pet I’ve ever cared for.

Love and devotion is what pets are all about, and in both directions. You can get attached to your Nintendo, but know that it will never feel the same way back, and that’s the biggest reason why it’s no substitute.

Posted: August 17th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

A humorous look at Blog Depression.

Blog Depression is not my issue at the moment. My problem is having a list of 25+ things I’d like to blog about and not having the time. Does anybody have a medical name for that condition?

Hat Tip: What’s Your Brand Mantra?

Posted: August 13th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 3

Some miscellaneous statistics quoted regarding teens and wireless technology:

24.7% of surveyed youths believe that their parents monitor their activity using technology, 97.9% indicated they would care if their parents monitored their activity using technology.

…

The majority of ring tones were downloaded by subscribers age 13-24, and more than 62 percent of those consumers downloaded more than one ring tone in the previous month (M:Metrics, Inc.)

…some teenagers are spending more money on wireless phones than on CDs and clothing. According to a report, half of all teenagers now own wireless devices and in some high schools 80% of the students have one. Parents usually favor their children having wireless devices to keep them connected and for safety — ABC News

An estimated 76% of kids ages 15 to 19 and 90% of people in their early 20s regularly use their cell phones for text messaging, ring tones and games, and that enthusiasm has turned wireless data services into a significant business. — Time, “How Kids Set The Ring Tone”

Ring tone revenues were $91 mln in 2003, more than doubled to $217 mln in 2004 and will reach $724 mln in 2009. Mobile games revenues were $24 mln in 2003, tripled to $72 mln in 2004, and should reach $430 mln in 2009. — Jupiter Research

More at the site that I quoted these stats from:

YPulse: Leave My Phone Alone!

Posted: August 12th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
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I previously posted about the NESTA Futurelab studies on introducing computer games as learning aids. For example, car racing games to teach physics principles.

In this BBC article, I just read that four UK secondary schools will be involved in the test, and that Electronic Arts (EA) is backing the project.

Claus Due, market development manager for EA Europe, said the time was right for this study.

“Computer games engage the brain like no other media,” he said. “We believe that children can and already do learn a lot through them.”

Well of course he’s going say that! It’s his job to develop the market!

But what exactly is he trying to say? We’ve all seen kids in front of computer or video games — tuned out of the real world, and so tuned into the game that they appear to be hypnotized into a trance-like state. There is no question that the brain and the computer game are engaged. The question to be asked is whether or not that is a good thing; is the brain engaged in a positive way?

Claus Due’s point is also being made relative to what he refers to as “other media“. We don’t know what that other media that he refers to is.

For this to be a success, what we need to see is that the new methods or learning aids they are going to do as good a job, or better, than reading books, or doing hands on physics, art, or biology labs, for example. Will the information truly be conveyed into the minds of the students in an effective manner, or will they just be happier students because they’re having more fun.

Futurelab’s goal seems reasonable enough and I was encouraged to see it explained here:

Futurelab, which is leading the research, hopes that the study will contribute to a move “away from the bland edutainment games that are currently on offer towards genuinely compelling games that support learning.”

Good: genuinely compelling games that support learning — I think that’s a laudible goal. But I was really let down with the next point in the article:

Likely candidates for use in the classroom include … those which model real life in some way, like The Sims.

The skeptic in me can’t help but think that The Sims has very little to teach, and that it’s hardly the most effective way of teaching whatever lessons it has to offer. The best way for kids to learn about the real world is to get them out in the real world.

What do you think would be an effective use of computers in the school system? What do you think about the EA connection with NESTA/Futurelab?

Posted: August 12th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 2

A new report says:

New York, July 28/PRNewswire — As they get older, American tweens and young teens — the 8-14 year old crowd — become increasingly disinterested in watching television, and more and more distracted when they do watch it, according to The U.S. Market for Tweens and Young Teens, a new report from publisher Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com.

The TV still reigns supreme—almost 80% of the younger tweens say that they “love” watching television, according to research conducted by Simmons Market Research Bureau. However, this drops to 60% when kids reach their early teen years. And, many tweens and young teens often do something else while the tube is on, such as read, listen to music or use a computer.

It’s interesting to note that it doesn’t say that they turn it off. They just think less highly of television as they get older, and they start doing other things while it is on.

“Tweens and young teens are mastering the adult art of multi-tasking,” says Don Montuori, acquisitions editor of Packaged Facts. “The Internet, in particular, offers a compelling alternative to TV programming, and this is a significant development for marketers in their efforts to target these consumers.”

Mastering the adult art of multi-tasking they say. Is multi-tasking something that we really need to strive to be better at? I actually expend a reasonable amount of effort to try to stay focused and to avoid doing too many things at once.

I cannot read with the chatter of a TV in the background. I don’t allow the TV to be on during dinner because it’s a distraction. I wouldn’t let my kids do homework in front of it either.

I do listen to music through my headphones when I work at my computer, but that’s actually just to drown out the conversations that happen around me during the day that would be more distracting. Plus, people are less likely to bother you when you have headphones on.

Do we do our best work when multitasking? Do we get the most enjoyment out of life as we juggle multiple things, without giving full attention to anything?

Posted: August 10th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 3