Week 3: Hardware

            Virtual reality hardware is similar to computer hardware, but instead, it tells the software to do different things. Many new game consoles such as the Xbox 360 and the Play Station 3 have USB connectors, allowing for external units to connect in. These things could include a keyboard, wired controllers, and even music players such as the iPod. Doing so, allows for more uses for such a device.

            A certain amount of memory is usually placed into these consoles in order to save data related to the games played or even patches to update the software within games. But, the more memory capacity that is given, the more it is going to cost for the customer. The Xbox 360 has a detachable memory unit, so if one would like to upgrade the capacity of their memory, they could easily just buy a larger hard drive. In addition to this, the hardware inside these consoles usually include a normal DVD and CD player, but certain consoles are starting to use Blue-Ray, such as the Play Station 3. Each console has its strengths and weakness’s. But in the end, they are all used for entertainment purposes.

            But as time goes on, each console is trying to become more advanced and interactive with the users. The Xbox 360 came out with the Kinect, adding a slight twist, in which the body is used, rather than a wired or wireless physical controller. The Wii is centered around the controller that is used through movements in order  to do different things in games. The Play Station 3 developed the “PlayStation Move Motion Controller”, similar to the Wii remote, in which it uses the movements of these controllers to interact with the game. 

Week 2: Privacy, Social Media, and Excel

             Virtual reality is slowly becoming an innovation and something possible within our lifetime. For example, Moore’s Law states that the number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law).  Due to this, processing speeds and memory capacities of computers will increase at a very fast rate. This could be utilized in order to make virtual reality a user-friendly device possible and in reasonable time, with these advances in technology.

Already there are many versions of virtual reality, usually involving a television screen. The Microsoft Kinect is considered virtual reality. No controller is required and it takes your body position and movement and integrates it within the game. It is similar to the Wii controller, where it uses the controller’s movements to control certain aspects of the game, as previously stated in my last blog. But, the Kinect is very unique in which it doesn’t require a controller because the software is able to recognize your body movements. There is a large sensor that is supposed to sit in front of you, usually right above or below your TV.  This sensor is able to detect the shapes of certain body parts, such as the arms, legs, chest, etc and uses these cues to create a brand new gaming and interactive environment.

Last week in my IST 195 class we learned about privacy, social media, and Microsoft excel. This is relevant to my entrepreneurship because if I were to place my ideas onto my Facebook page or twitter, these ideas could easily be accessed if not protected correctly.  In today’s society and the easy access of information due to the Internet, people should really learn how to change their privacy settings on their social accounts. In addition to this, one’s Facebook contains a large amount of personal information. If this is not secured correctly, it is set out for anyone to access and see. Protect your information!

Week 1-Social Media

Virtual reality. Is it truly possible? After innovations in technology within the fields of visual and audio improvements, yes. We become immersed in an imaginary world, where we have the visual and audio cues included while in such a place. It has been used not only by the military in training people for basic operations in various things such as parachuting, but also in the entertainment industry.

A large business in the U.S and many other places in the world is the video game industry.  One console that many people are familiar with is the Nintendo Wii. Although its not specifically virtual reality, it contains an interactive environment in which the Wii remote, controls various functions within the console. These functions are interactive with the user, such as using the remote to swing a baseball bat or bowl with friends. Through my entrepreneurship idea, I wish to improve this, not specifically with the Wii but the whole idea of virtual reality ingrained in video games, so we are not solely isolated in using the remote. With the technological innovations we have today, I feel like this is possible. Things such as treadmills that can rotate and turn in any direction could be used to create an interactive world.

This week we learned about social media, specifically Twitter. Twitter allows for quick communication all over the world instantly and is easily accessible. Ideas of improving virtual reality more specifically in the entertainment industry can be discussed and seen all on the Twitter environment. In addition to this, if people are interested they can follow twitter accounts of those who are involved in certain projects that have to do with virtual reality and they can update their progress on things or even hear interesting technology news! With over 200 million tweets per day, if someone has an idea and the right people are following him or her, a small idea can become more then just a tweet.