The rate or progress for Virtual Reality is indeed stunning. So too is the commercialization of products, services and potential applications. For instance researchers, teachers, politicians and innovators are always stacked with projects that need a Virtual Reality Technicians skill sets to the audience, customer or funding groups better visualize.
Of course as things move forward much faster standardization is also coming to a head. Many VR consultants and leading edge thinkers speak of granularity, verbs and software programming methodologies, but none are completely certain that is how things will work in the future in VR, yet we all see this is the push. It is amazing all the competing VR standards, theories and directions the market place is working with now. It is pretty insightful and although 4 years old now is pretty much on the money.
One of the reasons I make this statement is because someone mentioned in an article about the slicing of food on the kitchen in virtual reality and the sound of the knife in EOX (basically that is surround-a-sound) and the granularity (individual animated pixels) dividing the object and yes all that is good for action sequences, explosions, car crashes in video games, VR Life II type things and such, or simulators for training, but there is an issue with combinations of multiple scenarios, with AI and the size of the program, current bandwidth, storage devices, etc.
We can talk all about the future as the VR Technicians see it and we can discuss all the applications for Government, Military, Business, Healthcare, Earth Sciences, Space, Training, Psychology, Sports, Sex, Politics, Distance Learning, Sales or V-travel and yet in the end a standard is needed so that the theories, methods and philosophies can all be on the same page to move the ball down the field and attract the capital needed to bring the VR World into a blurred reality with the real world and to make a profit in doing so. ROI is what the real world is about.
We must never forget that as we create the future Utopia in Virtual Reality. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.
Minggu, 24 September 2017
Selasa, 12 September 2017
Computers and Technology Can Help You Find Health Insurance
In today's advanced world of computers and technology, it seems like just about everything is simpler than it was 20, even 10, years ago. We can do many things much faster and easier thanks to computers and technology. We can avoid the cost of phone bills and postage by talking for free through instant messengers and emails. We can save on gas money (and our own energy!) by keeping up with our bank accounts, and even paying bills or shopping using our bank accounts, online. We can save the time it takes to head down to the local library to search for the books we need for a research paper by using the resources of the Internet to study and explore every topic under the sun.
And, best of all for some of us, we can even work from home thanks to computers and technology.
Whether we're freelance writers, graphic designers, editors, data entry workers, or even photographers, because of the advances in computers and technology, we can set up shop right in our own homes. No more commuting, no more annoying co-workers, and no more bossy bosses!
However, despite all the perks of using computers and technology to work from home, those of us who do work from home usually lack one thing - health insurance. When we're self-employed, or contracted by a particular business, health insurance packages aren't usually one of the perks of using computers and technology to work from home.
Therefore, it's up to those of us who do use computers and technology to work from home to search for our own health insurance policies. There's good news - the same computers and technology we use to work from home can help us search for health insurance companies that sell affordable health insurance policies for individuals.
So, the next time you log on to start work, remember to take a few minutes to find a health insurance policy.
And, best of all for some of us, we can even work from home thanks to computers and technology.
Whether we're freelance writers, graphic designers, editors, data entry workers, or even photographers, because of the advances in computers and technology, we can set up shop right in our own homes. No more commuting, no more annoying co-workers, and no more bossy bosses!
However, despite all the perks of using computers and technology to work from home, those of us who do work from home usually lack one thing - health insurance. When we're self-employed, or contracted by a particular business, health insurance packages aren't usually one of the perks of using computers and technology to work from home.
Therefore, it's up to those of us who do use computers and technology to work from home to search for our own health insurance policies. There's good news - the same computers and technology we use to work from home can help us search for health insurance companies that sell affordable health insurance policies for individuals.
So, the next time you log on to start work, remember to take a few minutes to find a health insurance policy.
Selasa, 29 Agustus 2017
Computers and Children - Smart Parents Get Involved With Their Kids
Today's world of computers and flashy technology can form a communication barrier between parents and their children when mishandled. This next generation has a very unique perspective on the internet age; they have had access to the largest source of entertainment known to man for their entire lives. They build relationships, play games, socialize, learn, and everything else they can care to do on the computer. In a world where interaction between real people seems to be dwindling away, how are parents supposed to connect with their computer-bound kids? Like they always say: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
There is a whole slew of enriching activities available that are easy for both parents and children to use online. A near-infinite amount of games have been created to teach children everything from their ABC's to sign language. Parents should take advantage of these educational opportunities when they use the computer with their children. Time spent appropriately on the computer supports a child's cognitive development, but you should keep them a decent distance away from the screen. Monitored and supervised use of the computer can result in positive learning experiences, particularly for younger children. The best part is that kids don't even know they're being educated, they see it as entertainment. Our generation happily spent hours playing Hooked on Phonics, so you can only imagine how fun educational games can be with vastly improved graphics and design.
There is no doubt that the younger generation would rather spend time in front of a screen than a page, so any digital resource that will get them to embrace learning is welcome. An innovative way of doing this is through eBooks. An eBook is a digital volume of any sort including novels, magazines, textbooks, comics, and most importantly to us, children's books. A children's book presented as an eBook is a really unique and convenient way of bonding with a child because it combines the wonderful imaginative stimulation of a storybook with the fun and entertainment of technology. An added bonus is the convenience an eBooks offers; they are available all over the internet and can be immediately accessed. Keeping a child's attention is much easier when you bring something that they are already excited about into play.
Before you open a new tab and start browsing around for eBooks and games, it is very important that internet safety measures get put into place before your child has access to the computer. The first step towards protecting your children from what's out there is involving yourself in their computer habits, be conscious of what they are doing and check up on them often. Believe it or not, this is actually a very appropriate time for a lesson in honesty. Educate your children about the nature of the internet, most people who chat with your kids lie about who they are because they can't be seen. Tell them that there's no reason to lie if there isn't anything to hide, so nobody on the internet can truly be trusted. If you don't know them personally, no chatting. It is highly recommended that you put parental controls in place. You can implement restrictions on the web browser that keeps your children away from inappropriate sites as well as limit the amount of time they can spend on the computer before it turns off.
Once a safe and secure environment has been established, the fun can begin. Don't limit yourself to games and eBooks; there are countless ways of interacting with your children in a positive way through the use of computers. Get creative with digital story programs, connect with social media, and pursue your child's interests. Now pat yourself on the back for being a tech-savvy parent!
There is a whole slew of enriching activities available that are easy for both parents and children to use online. A near-infinite amount of games have been created to teach children everything from their ABC's to sign language. Parents should take advantage of these educational opportunities when they use the computer with their children. Time spent appropriately on the computer supports a child's cognitive development, but you should keep them a decent distance away from the screen. Monitored and supervised use of the computer can result in positive learning experiences, particularly for younger children. The best part is that kids don't even know they're being educated, they see it as entertainment. Our generation happily spent hours playing Hooked on Phonics, so you can only imagine how fun educational games can be with vastly improved graphics and design.
There is no doubt that the younger generation would rather spend time in front of a screen than a page, so any digital resource that will get them to embrace learning is welcome. An innovative way of doing this is through eBooks. An eBook is a digital volume of any sort including novels, magazines, textbooks, comics, and most importantly to us, children's books. A children's book presented as an eBook is a really unique and convenient way of bonding with a child because it combines the wonderful imaginative stimulation of a storybook with the fun and entertainment of technology. An added bonus is the convenience an eBooks offers; they are available all over the internet and can be immediately accessed. Keeping a child's attention is much easier when you bring something that they are already excited about into play.
Before you open a new tab and start browsing around for eBooks and games, it is very important that internet safety measures get put into place before your child has access to the computer. The first step towards protecting your children from what's out there is involving yourself in their computer habits, be conscious of what they are doing and check up on them often. Believe it or not, this is actually a very appropriate time for a lesson in honesty. Educate your children about the nature of the internet, most people who chat with your kids lie about who they are because they can't be seen. Tell them that there's no reason to lie if there isn't anything to hide, so nobody on the internet can truly be trusted. If you don't know them personally, no chatting. It is highly recommended that you put parental controls in place. You can implement restrictions on the web browser that keeps your children away from inappropriate sites as well as limit the amount of time they can spend on the computer before it turns off.
Once a safe and secure environment has been established, the fun can begin. Don't limit yourself to games and eBooks; there are countless ways of interacting with your children in a positive way through the use of computers. Get creative with digital story programs, connect with social media, and pursue your child's interests. Now pat yourself on the back for being a tech-savvy parent!
Rabu, 09 Agustus 2017
Discontinued Computers and Accessories - The Key to Surviving a Weak Economy
Your business needs IT equipment to function, but you also need to save money in today's tough economy. Discontinued computers and accessories can help you carry out IT upgrades for less.
The discontinued computers and accessories market is based on two key concepts - platform maintenance and appropriate technology. These concepts are especially important in times of economic retrenchment.
Platform maintenance is the idea of keeping your existing equipment longer, even if it is discontinued by the manufacturer. By extending the life of your existing systems, you can reduce or eliminate the costs for new equipment.
The concept of appropriate technology is based on a single idea - most users do not need brand new equipment to perform their work. Instead of buying the latest upgrade, you can wait until the product has matured and the price starts to drop. You can even wait until a product has been discontinued. You can still get a top-notch machine, but you'll get it at a fraction of the price. And there is no need to worry about buying something that has been taken off the market. Many manufacturers support their equipment for a period of time after it has been discontinued. Some, like IBM, Lenovo and Toshiba, have arrangements with secondary market vendors to sell their discontinued parts and equipment.
Here are just a few examples of how you can use discontinued computers and accessories to extend the life of your current IT infrastructure.
Buy new after a product is removed from the market. According to some estimates, you could save upwards of 60% on the cost of a new computer if you buy later in the product's life cycle. Considering that most hardware manufacturers turn over equipment every six to nine months, buying between nine months and a year after a computer's initial launch can save you a bundle.
Search the secondary market for discontinued computers and accessories. You are bound to find the parts you are looking for to upgrade your current hardware. Even in good economic times it makes little sense to get rid of a computer or server just because it is a little older. A memory or hard drive upgrade may be all it takes to boost the machine's performance.
Buying discontinued computers allows you to expand your current hardware base and keep your existing platform for longer. Add to your network with a compatible, discontinued server instead of having to perform a costly upgrade.
Improvise! Resourceful IT people can work wonders with the right parts and accessories. Sellers of discontinued parts offer a veritable treasure trove for the techies in your office.
Saving money in your IT budget is easier than you think. When you need to upgrade or expand, don't shop new. Start with discontinued computers and accessories and see how far a little cash can go.
The discontinued computers and accessories market is based on two key concepts - platform maintenance and appropriate technology. These concepts are especially important in times of economic retrenchment.
Platform maintenance is the idea of keeping your existing equipment longer, even if it is discontinued by the manufacturer. By extending the life of your existing systems, you can reduce or eliminate the costs for new equipment.
The concept of appropriate technology is based on a single idea - most users do not need brand new equipment to perform their work. Instead of buying the latest upgrade, you can wait until the product has matured and the price starts to drop. You can even wait until a product has been discontinued. You can still get a top-notch machine, but you'll get it at a fraction of the price. And there is no need to worry about buying something that has been taken off the market. Many manufacturers support their equipment for a period of time after it has been discontinued. Some, like IBM, Lenovo and Toshiba, have arrangements with secondary market vendors to sell their discontinued parts and equipment.
Here are just a few examples of how you can use discontinued computers and accessories to extend the life of your current IT infrastructure.
Buy new after a product is removed from the market. According to some estimates, you could save upwards of 60% on the cost of a new computer if you buy later in the product's life cycle. Considering that most hardware manufacturers turn over equipment every six to nine months, buying between nine months and a year after a computer's initial launch can save you a bundle.
Search the secondary market for discontinued computers and accessories. You are bound to find the parts you are looking for to upgrade your current hardware. Even in good economic times it makes little sense to get rid of a computer or server just because it is a little older. A memory or hard drive upgrade may be all it takes to boost the machine's performance.
Buying discontinued computers allows you to expand your current hardware base and keep your existing platform for longer. Add to your network with a compatible, discontinued server instead of having to perform a costly upgrade.
Improvise! Resourceful IT people can work wonders with the right parts and accessories. Sellers of discontinued parts offer a veritable treasure trove for the techies in your office.
Saving money in your IT budget is easier than you think. When you need to upgrade or expand, don't shop new. Start with discontinued computers and accessories and see how far a little cash can go.
Selasa, 25 Juli 2017
Computer and Technology Forensics Expert: Managing the Risky Business of Company E-Mail
As an employer, Human Resources Director, or Risk Management Supervisor, ask yourself this question: "Do our employees think about the legal risk of sending communications over the internet?" If you are like the majority of companies, your answer would be, "It is highly improbable". It is a very common problem amid the work place, for an employee to believe their electronic communications are transient, temporary and, once deleted, untraceable and therefore, harmless.
The fact is e-mail, faxes and even cellular phones leave a trace. Just one e-mail sent from your employee to the employee of a different company passes through an average of four different computer systems. This creates a trail making e-mail real, traceable, and permanent.
As an industry leader in Computer and Technology Forensics for the past 20 plus years, we have documented, during the examination of electronic systems, employees who frequently say/save things into e-mails or store on a computer, things they would never say anywhere else. Either having an employee delete a potentially damaging or inflammatory e-mail or even an employee deleting an e-mail on their own, does not protect anyone. In fact, it could in the end harm everyone involved.
If a complaint or inappropriate conduct of an employee has risen to the level where you as an owner/supervisor, need to consult a Computer and Technology Forensics expert, one of the first areas checked is for deleted documents and/or e-mails. These items cause red flags during an examination of equipment, and the original items can and most likely will be found and/or reconstructed. It is very important to understand that the intentional destruction of evidence is a felony, and if proven, could land one in jail.
An example of computer message in a court case dates back to the infamous trial of some of the Los Angeles Police being tried in the 1991 beating of Rodney King. One of the officers created a computer message stating, "... I haven't beaten anyone that bad in a long time." This obviously became admissible in court.
A more recent example, is one in which we as a company were hired in a libel case. The libeler was using the internet to post messages on a public bulletin board that were both slanderous and libelous against a competitor in the same field. This person felt that by using "anonymous" e-mails and postings, this would increase their own standing within the same professional community. What the libeler didn't count on was the traceability of the e-mails to their home, cell phone and company computer systems. We were able to locate the electronic trail, and with this information obtain, on behalf of the client, a court order to confiscate the equipment in order to create image copies of the electronic systems. As a result, in order to keep the issue private, the libeler agreed to a significant out of court settlement.
As an owner/supervisor, it is left to you to consider and take great care in educating your employees in what should or shouldn't be put in writing. In addition, it is also up to you to make your employees aware how the written word is conveyed when read.
We have now asked and answered two very important questions. First, the majority of employees do not consider the legal risk of electronic communications. Second, as an owner/supervisor why it is crucial you understand the potential legal ramifications. The remainder of this article is devoted to assisting you in creating and/or updating your current policies.
In today's litigious society, company's both large and small should have company policies. These policies have traditionally covered areas from dress codes to vacation policies. Within the past five years companies have begun adopting IT policies, generally found within the employee handbook. As a professional Computer and Technology Forensics company, when we are called in to examine hard drives and/or servers due to a company suspecting the improper use of systems, we also discuss the company's IT policies with the appropriate supervisor or IT manager.
In many cases we have found that most policies do not adequately cover what is necessary in the computer and electronic communication age. Companies should have a very clear e-mail and technology use policy. One of the more important ones usually not covered, and unfortunately to the detriment of the employer, is an e-mail retention policy. Since many industries are governed by different and specific federal and/or state statutes on how long information must be retained, your policy should reflect these guidelines.
The policy should be as specific as possible in what types of communications are kept and how long. Make it clear there are both business and legal reasons for the company keeping such information. Information from e-mails as well as other electronic systems can be used in many types of cases, including: harassment, discrimination, antitrust, retaliation, Americans with Disabilities Act, insider trading, accounting fraud, improper trade secret disclosure and more!
REMEMBER- The intentional destruction, of any kind, of evidence relevant to a current or pending lawsuit contained in the e-mail or e-mail attached document, is a felony, and if proven, could land one in jail.
As an owner/supervisor, take a moment to examine your current IT or company's technology policy. If your company doesn't currently have an IT or technology policy-get one! While you will need to insure the individual needs of your company are met, following are some topics of what you should consider including in your usage polices:
Electronic information ownership
Monitoring of technology use
Acceptable use of company technology
Acceptable content
If you currently hold meetings with your employees or publish a company newsletter, these are excellent venues to use to educate your employees. Utilize these opportunities to let them know there are certain things they should be aware of when sending or responding to e-mails. Employees should be counseled to be cautious and to not make statements that can be considered a legal conclusion. Let your employees know they should utilize the knowledge and expertise within the company by picking up the phone and calling their supervisor or Human Resource Department.
When educating your employees about the content of an e-mail or using other forms of traceable electronic technology, train the employee to ask themselves these simple questions:
Should I put this in e-mail or should I call?
Would I write this down knowing that it may exist forever?
Would I put this on a postcard and mail it?
Would I want to see this printed in the newspaper?
Would I want this to get into the hands of my company's competition?
Would I want this to get into the hand of my worst enemy?
Electronic communications are not transient, temporary or untraceable. E-mail is evidence. Education and proper policies go a long way to keep both employees and the employer from ending up in a potential lawsuit trying to explain the written word.
The fact is e-mail, faxes and even cellular phones leave a trace. Just one e-mail sent from your employee to the employee of a different company passes through an average of four different computer systems. This creates a trail making e-mail real, traceable, and permanent.
As an industry leader in Computer and Technology Forensics for the past 20 plus years, we have documented, during the examination of electronic systems, employees who frequently say/save things into e-mails or store on a computer, things they would never say anywhere else. Either having an employee delete a potentially damaging or inflammatory e-mail or even an employee deleting an e-mail on their own, does not protect anyone. In fact, it could in the end harm everyone involved.
If a complaint or inappropriate conduct of an employee has risen to the level where you as an owner/supervisor, need to consult a Computer and Technology Forensics expert, one of the first areas checked is for deleted documents and/or e-mails. These items cause red flags during an examination of equipment, and the original items can and most likely will be found and/or reconstructed. It is very important to understand that the intentional destruction of evidence is a felony, and if proven, could land one in jail.
An example of computer message in a court case dates back to the infamous trial of some of the Los Angeles Police being tried in the 1991 beating of Rodney King. One of the officers created a computer message stating, "... I haven't beaten anyone that bad in a long time." This obviously became admissible in court.
A more recent example, is one in which we as a company were hired in a libel case. The libeler was using the internet to post messages on a public bulletin board that were both slanderous and libelous against a competitor in the same field. This person felt that by using "anonymous" e-mails and postings, this would increase their own standing within the same professional community. What the libeler didn't count on was the traceability of the e-mails to their home, cell phone and company computer systems. We were able to locate the electronic trail, and with this information obtain, on behalf of the client, a court order to confiscate the equipment in order to create image copies of the electronic systems. As a result, in order to keep the issue private, the libeler agreed to a significant out of court settlement.
As an owner/supervisor, it is left to you to consider and take great care in educating your employees in what should or shouldn't be put in writing. In addition, it is also up to you to make your employees aware how the written word is conveyed when read.
We have now asked and answered two very important questions. First, the majority of employees do not consider the legal risk of electronic communications. Second, as an owner/supervisor why it is crucial you understand the potential legal ramifications. The remainder of this article is devoted to assisting you in creating and/or updating your current policies.
In today's litigious society, company's both large and small should have company policies. These policies have traditionally covered areas from dress codes to vacation policies. Within the past five years companies have begun adopting IT policies, generally found within the employee handbook. As a professional Computer and Technology Forensics company, when we are called in to examine hard drives and/or servers due to a company suspecting the improper use of systems, we also discuss the company's IT policies with the appropriate supervisor or IT manager.
In many cases we have found that most policies do not adequately cover what is necessary in the computer and electronic communication age. Companies should have a very clear e-mail and technology use policy. One of the more important ones usually not covered, and unfortunately to the detriment of the employer, is an e-mail retention policy. Since many industries are governed by different and specific federal and/or state statutes on how long information must be retained, your policy should reflect these guidelines.
The policy should be as specific as possible in what types of communications are kept and how long. Make it clear there are both business and legal reasons for the company keeping such information. Information from e-mails as well as other electronic systems can be used in many types of cases, including: harassment, discrimination, antitrust, retaliation, Americans with Disabilities Act, insider trading, accounting fraud, improper trade secret disclosure and more!
REMEMBER- The intentional destruction, of any kind, of evidence relevant to a current or pending lawsuit contained in the e-mail or e-mail attached document, is a felony, and if proven, could land one in jail.
As an owner/supervisor, take a moment to examine your current IT or company's technology policy. If your company doesn't currently have an IT or technology policy-get one! While you will need to insure the individual needs of your company are met, following are some topics of what you should consider including in your usage polices:
Electronic information ownership
Monitoring of technology use
Acceptable use of company technology
Acceptable content
If you currently hold meetings with your employees or publish a company newsletter, these are excellent venues to use to educate your employees. Utilize these opportunities to let them know there are certain things they should be aware of when sending or responding to e-mails. Employees should be counseled to be cautious and to not make statements that can be considered a legal conclusion. Let your employees know they should utilize the knowledge and expertise within the company by picking up the phone and calling their supervisor or Human Resource Department.
When educating your employees about the content of an e-mail or using other forms of traceable electronic technology, train the employee to ask themselves these simple questions:
Should I put this in e-mail or should I call?
Would I write this down knowing that it may exist forever?
Would I put this on a postcard and mail it?
Would I want to see this printed in the newspaper?
Would I want this to get into the hands of my company's competition?
Would I want this to get into the hand of my worst enemy?
Electronic communications are not transient, temporary or untraceable. E-mail is evidence. Education and proper policies go a long way to keep both employees and the employer from ending up in a potential lawsuit trying to explain the written word.
Jumat, 07 Juli 2017
Computers and Technology in the Academic Learning of Young Children
In today's world, computers have become a familiar fixture in the daily lives of children and adolescents, offering a wide range of learning and entertainment tools.
While surveys have indicated that boys are heavier users of computer games and visit websites more often than girls, no gender differences have emerged for chatting, using e-mail, or doing schoolwork on the computer. Additionally, both teenage boys and girls have expressed equal confidence in their computer skills.
On average, parents estimate that their school-age children and adolescents use the computer approximately 1.5 hours per day. Computers, electronic games and toys, and technology in general largely influence and affect the lives of children. Technology has thus proven to be largely capable of enriching the lives of children, especially in the areas of academic and social learning and development.
Computers for instance, can have rich cognitive and social benefits. Children as young as 3 years of age like computer activities and are capable of typing in simple commands on a standard keyboard. Additionally, in today's classrooms, small groups often gather around the machine, and children more often collaborate while working with the computer instead of using traditional paper and pencil methods.
As soon as children start to become literate (being able to read and write), they can make use of the computer for word processing. This lets them write without struggling with handwriting, and they can revise text meanings and style, and check their spelling. As a result, children tend to worry less about making mistakes, and their written products end up longer and of higher quality.
Specially designed computer languages introduce children to programming skills. With the support of adults, children's efforts with computer programming can lead to improved concept formation, problem solving and creativity. Furthermore, as children must detect errors in their programs to make them work, programming will assist them in reflecting on their though processes. This will inevitably lead to gains in meta-cognitive knowledge and self-regulation. Also, while programming, children are particularly likely to collaborate, persist in the face of challenge, and demonstrate positive attitudes toward learning. This is consistent with Vygotsky's theory in showing that social interaction supporting children's mastery of challenging computer tasks is capable of fostering a wide range of higher cognitive processes.
Children and adolescents spend much time using home computers purely for entertainment purposes. Many computer games emphasize speed and action in sometimes violent plots where children advance by shooting at and evading enemies. Children additionally play more complex exploratory and adventure games with themes of conquest and aggression and sports games. These include football and soccer. Children likewise enjoy simulation games, for example creating and caring for virtual pets (which require attention to "stay alive"), entering virtual realities (such as an ecosystem where the player mutates plants and animals into new species), and role-playing characters.
Speed-and-action computer games cultivate attentional and spatial skills in both boys and girls. However, while offering opportunities for learning, extensive playing of simulation games might risk blurring the distinction between virtual and real life.
Many youths use the computer to communicate. While using the internet causes some potential for causing disengagement from real life, it does hold much value in letting users acquire computer skills, information, and enabling communication.
While surveys have indicated that boys are heavier users of computer games and visit websites more often than girls, no gender differences have emerged for chatting, using e-mail, or doing schoolwork on the computer. Additionally, both teenage boys and girls have expressed equal confidence in their computer skills.
On average, parents estimate that their school-age children and adolescents use the computer approximately 1.5 hours per day. Computers, electronic games and toys, and technology in general largely influence and affect the lives of children. Technology has thus proven to be largely capable of enriching the lives of children, especially in the areas of academic and social learning and development.
Computers for instance, can have rich cognitive and social benefits. Children as young as 3 years of age like computer activities and are capable of typing in simple commands on a standard keyboard. Additionally, in today's classrooms, small groups often gather around the machine, and children more often collaborate while working with the computer instead of using traditional paper and pencil methods.
As soon as children start to become literate (being able to read and write), they can make use of the computer for word processing. This lets them write without struggling with handwriting, and they can revise text meanings and style, and check their spelling. As a result, children tend to worry less about making mistakes, and their written products end up longer and of higher quality.
Specially designed computer languages introduce children to programming skills. With the support of adults, children's efforts with computer programming can lead to improved concept formation, problem solving and creativity. Furthermore, as children must detect errors in their programs to make them work, programming will assist them in reflecting on their though processes. This will inevitably lead to gains in meta-cognitive knowledge and self-regulation. Also, while programming, children are particularly likely to collaborate, persist in the face of challenge, and demonstrate positive attitudes toward learning. This is consistent with Vygotsky's theory in showing that social interaction supporting children's mastery of challenging computer tasks is capable of fostering a wide range of higher cognitive processes.
Children and adolescents spend much time using home computers purely for entertainment purposes. Many computer games emphasize speed and action in sometimes violent plots where children advance by shooting at and evading enemies. Children additionally play more complex exploratory and adventure games with themes of conquest and aggression and sports games. These include football and soccer. Children likewise enjoy simulation games, for example creating and caring for virtual pets (which require attention to "stay alive"), entering virtual realities (such as an ecosystem where the player mutates plants and animals into new species), and role-playing characters.
Speed-and-action computer games cultivate attentional and spatial skills in both boys and girls. However, while offering opportunities for learning, extensive playing of simulation games might risk blurring the distinction between virtual and real life.
Many youths use the computer to communicate. While using the internet causes some potential for causing disengagement from real life, it does hold much value in letting users acquire computer skills, information, and enabling communication.
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