Download the trial version of Photoshop Elements 10 here.

Here the the links to the sites that you should be following on a daily basis.  Articles from these site will be used for class discussions and could potentially used for quiz material if the work is not being done.  For Monday, you must set up these links to any type of reader you want.

• GigaOM
• TechCrunch
• All Things D
• LifeHacker
• Engadget

For Thursday, September 25, be prepared to discuss and possibly get quizzed on the material found here.

With the introduction of Samsung’s Nexus S and Gingerbread, Near Field Communication will be available on a cell phone for the first time in the United States.  NFC is a wireless technology similar to Bluetooth.  Watch the introduction video and follow the links to learn more about this technology.  Be prepared to discuss NFC in class this week.  Other than what’s listed in the provided reading, develop a list of two or three ways you see NFC being used in the future.

As we briefly discussed this morning, Google announced Chrome OS, a completely web based operating system.  For Thursday, come to class prepared to discuss the pros and cons for not only Google, but their competitors and consumers.  Even if you do not understand everything that is detailed in the following articles, make sure you have questions prepared.

Below are some articles that will get you started to prepare for our discussion.

Google Chrome OS

Engadget

Google Blog

Google’s Big Week – Engadget

Gizmodo

Wired

That should be enough to get you started.  And if you’re really excited about what you have just read, apply for the pilot program.

Write a one page paper, single spaced, on one of the following articles.  Choose only one and discuss your thoughts on that particular topic.  The completed assignment is due BEFORE class Tuesday morning.  Please email Mr Barkowski with any questions.

Flat-Rate Data Plans Are Dead. Is That a Good Thing?

Big Cable Is Bleeding: 500K+ Subscribers Lost In Q3

Will Location-Based Services Ever Go Mainstream?

Net neutrality is dwarfing all other policy debates in the communications sector these days.

The issue has stirred the passions of liberal groups that see the fight for specific Net neutrality rules as one that pits big corporate interests against the average consumer. These groups have been lobbying Washington policymakers hard ever since President Obama took office.

These groups claim that without new rules to preserve the Internet’s openness, the Net as we know it will soon no longer exist. They say big service providers, such as AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon Communications are looking to turn the Internet into a cable-like system where consumers pay big fees to access online content. The groups warn that the open Internet of today will be replaced by a network of haves and have-nots, where people willing to pay additional fees will get access to better quality content and those unwilling to fork over extra cash will be relegated to a ghetto Internet filled with slow-moving content and flooded with advertising.

Read more >

Source: cnet - Maggie Reardon

The following are the sites to subscribe to for Friday.  A total of 10 different sites need to be linked to Google Reader for full credit.

• Gizmodo
• Boy Genius Report
• CNET
• Engadget
• Wired
• The Official Google Blog