The Writing Center at St. John's University

About a month ago my Multimedia Communications class took a trip to the writing center at St. John's located in St. Augustine Hall.

During our visit to the Writing Center, two writing consultants, Morgan and Josie, told us about the services offered, how they became writing consultants and the process of meeting with a writing consultant to review written work.

At St. John's University there is a writing center available to all students. At this center students are requested to make an appointment if they have an essay or writing assignment they would like an opinion on.

If you are a St. John's student you can click this link stj.mywconline.com to register with the writing center and make an appointment. You may also register through St.John's Central. Be sure to have your storm card with you!

If you're a STJ Alumni, you may still have access to the services offered at the writing center.

Hacking A Plane With An Android Phone

Oh the horror! SERIOUSLY!

With an Android smartphone, the right apps and the knowledge of the airplane industry computer systems it is possible for someone to control the plane itself (even while it's in air!). Someone who gains access into aircraft systems has the ability to, through their Android phone, change the destination of a flight, receive information about the aircrafts current location, gain access to information shared between aircrafts, and turn on (or off) the lights within the plane.

Hugo Teso, a trained commercial pilot and security consultant brought this problem to surface for correction during a conference in Amsterdam. Now that this problem has been brought to light hopefully there are less chances that the control of an aircraft will slip into the wrong hands.

For more information read the two sources listed below.

Source: Hijacking Airplanes With an Android Smartphone
How A Single Android Phone Can Hack an Entire Plane 

What's All This Talk About Facebook Home?



From the sources below Facebook Home turns out to be an app mainly for phones with the Android operating system. Yet, it isn't that simple. With this new software Android users are able to use their phones while having Facebook at the center. If you are an Android user you will still be able to access other apps by swiping downward or in a different direction depending on the phone device you are using.




Invitation

 

The HTC First is, the FIRST of what is now being called a Facebook Phone. Apparently, there will be more devices that will offer this new Facebook software, which will make the device a Facebook Phone considering it is centered on the use of Facebook.

Gizmodo

HTC First features includes a five-inch LCD3 screen, dual-core Qualcomm 8930AA 1.4-GHz processor, four different colors (red, white, light blue, black), 16 GB internal storage, and a front and rear facing camera.

Sources:
Facebook Home Available April 12th, Updates Each Month
Facebook Home Revealed
HTC First Official
HTC First demoed: A Snappy and Social Phone

Competition For Apple

Who'd Ever Think That Apple Might Have Some Serious Competition?

Samsung of South Korea is increasing its competition with Apple. Recently, the company gave a preview of the new Galaxy S4. However, Samsung's newest phone isn't the only thing that is driving competition against Apple.

Worldwide, Samsung Electronics is the top seller of smartphones. Yet, in the US Apple still dominates the smartphone industry. But how long will this be true?




Image from hothardware(dot)com


The preview for the Galaxy S4 took place in the US, more specifically Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Here new innovations for the Galaxy S4 are shown. One of them is the ability to control the phone by using hand gestures. Another is the phones ability to scroll a web screen when someone is looking at it and it is being tilted at an angle. If you've used or observed someone playing a Nintendo DS or DSI then you would be familiar with Group Play. Group Play is another feature on the S4; it allows those who have a Galaxy to connect and play group games with other people who have a Galaxy. This is made possible through WiFi, which is the same way players can connect using the Nintendo DS or DSI system.

What drives competition between Samsung and Apple?

Consider the holiday season.
According to the research firm IDC, for last years holiday quarter Samsung's shipment of phones went up 76 percent from the shipment percent recorded the year before. Apple only went up 29.2 percent from the previous year.



Here are some things to note (things that may point to why Samsung has greater market shares that Apple worldwide):

• Availability of smartphones in different sizes, varied prices and styles.
• Although Samsung may have 'stolen' some ideas from Apple (as they are accused of doing) Samsung has some innovation of its own. While most smartphones have a predictable size, the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, and The Note II are phones that have larger screens than the average smartphone.

Thinking about purchasing the Galaxy S4. Then visit the S4's global site here. As a student considering working in the creative department team I like the availability of information and the bright pictures used for the global site.

Source: The New York Times

Testing The Waters In Photo Editing (Class Assignment)





This first image is from FotoFlexer. 

The original size of the image was decreased, then duplicated four times, I then used the rotation tool to create a reflection effect.







 

BEFORE









AFTER









BEFORE





The image to the left is an image I captured on my own a few summers ago. I cropped the image then duplicated one flower and added to the center of the picture.

 





 

AFTER



BEFORE



For the last one, I simply added text. ;)

AFTER



These photos have been edited by FotoFlexer, a free online image editor.

Guest Speaker From The Career Center

At St. John's University the students have the Career Center available for use. On Tuesday my multimedia communications class welcomed our guest speaker, Elisa Zervos, from the Career Center at St. John's.

I'm sure we all received helpful advice regarding our career paths, even if we are still in the beginning stages of it.

Here are some tips and suggestions I took note of as Zervos spoke:

• "Start from within" when looking for a career path. What are your passions and interests?
• Research the occupation you are interested in.
• Know the salary range of the position you are applying for so that you won't be cheated (receive wages less than the average amount).
• Set up a LinkedIn account. LinkedIn is like a professional-business like version of Facebook. Facebook is more for social relations with friends and family, where LinkedIn is for the purpose of finding a job. You can upload you resume and provide specific details that may qualify you for a job. I've heard many times from my professors that even employers search LinkedIn to find the next few individuals they will hire; so it's best to have ones profile filled with relative (to business/career) detail and to talk about ones passion in the summary section of your profile. Don't forget to upload a professional picture!

Zervos also gave some wonderful tips in attending career fairs

• Target 5 companies.
• Search the Internet for their available positions. Then while at the Career Fair as questions about the position(s) you are interested in.
• Dress professionally.
• Network! I've heard this probably a million times over the last six months. Professors stress the importance of networking because employers are most likely to hire someone that has been recommended for the job by someone that is already an employee. So while attending classes in college - NETWORK!  Even at Career Fairs - NETWORK! Ask for a business card, email or phone number. If you have a business card, or better yet your resume offer it to them.
• "Before leaving, say goodbye." Before going home to review all the information you received make one more round to say goodbye to all the people you spoke with.

What about the interview process?

• Think about specific questions you yourself may have to ask the person(s) interviewing you. Questions about the company or the position you're being interviewed for.
•  After an interview , if rejected, stay in contact by sending a thank you letter or email; most especially if they spent three to four hours with you.

Lastly, here are some websites to check out:

What Can I Do With My Major?

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

O*Net Online

Twitter

Today marks day two of the life of tcsweetberry - my new Twitter account.

I like the picture Twitter automatically gave me - the one with the soft like green background and an egg or oval in the center. It's simple yet not too distracting. Most of all it reminds me of SPRING the season well missed in the midst of a cold winter.

Without following anyone my page is digitally desolate. But who should I follow? or what should I follow?

I decided to follow the author of a blog I've been assigned to read for my Advertising class. By looking at his Twitter page I noticed, he isn't following ANYONE! What's up with that? It seems like he holds some sort of  unknown secret status on twitter.

girltalkhome popped into my mind, as did my hope that the blog had a Twitter account. Guess what? It does! and they are following people, although the number of people following them outweigh the number of people they are following.

As of now my Twitter page has LIFE ! Yayy! Celebrate & follow me @tcsweetberry
BTW I'm so not used to the language of  'follow me'.
If you are, how did you get used to it?