The internet slang term "LOL" (laughing out loud) has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Article on the BBC News

This hasn't got too much to do with technology, but it can be slightly related.
'LOL' is such a commonly used phrase, they decided that the word should be in the dictionary.

So, it was found out that the pharse was first discovered on an early internet discussion forum, Usenet, in the early 1980s.

The original use was typed by Wayne Pearson, in Calgary, who says he wrote the first ever LOL in reply to a gag by someone called "Sprout".

"LOL" was "geek-speak that filtered through to the mainstream"

This has also let to some popular internet crazes, like Lolcats, whose appeal spread far beyond the realms of cyber-geeks.

LCD Monitor Teardown

Crysis 2 : A quick comparison..

Check out this comparison of Crysis 2 running on PS3 / XBOX360 / PC . The most noticeable differences are in texture quality and lighting . Especially the latter which on the PC is a form of Global Illumination which requires more processing power than the consoles are prepared to put out, so the console versions have used it very sparingly.

Here is the YouTube link, make sure you select 1080p so you can see all the details!

..why not two screens?

Yes the dual screen Acer Iconia has no keyboard at all but instead a whole spare lower screen which is touchscreen and can act as a keyboard when needed and as extra display space when not.
The screens are made of Gorilla glass ( that's right ) (or a more serious look) which you may have heard of...
Seems like an interesting concept. Will it work? Or is it simply not transparent enough? (it certainly wont be light )

Full story : here

Asus Eee Pad Transformer on sale in next few days

Every wondered whether to get an iPad or a laptop? PROBLEM SOLVED!

Seriously guys this is a cool piece of tech. the new Asus Eee Pad Transformer is a hybrid between the two which has a detachable screen.

For full details read this page:

http://fwd.channel5.com/gadget-show/gadget-news/asus-eee-pad-transformer-on-sale-in-next-few-days

Transparent LCD Screens..

So Samsung just started mass producing transparent LCD screens!!

If you are unsure what that means have a look at the clip below from last year when they first showed it off : here

Now they are in mass production so you can get your hands on one soon. Although so far the price has not been revealed we can assume it will not be cheap at first.

The transparent LCD panel has a high transparency rate, which enables a person to look right through the panel like glass, and it consumes 90% less electricity compared with a conventional LCD panel using back light unit. It’s because a transparent LCD panel utilizes ambient light such as sun light, which consequently reduces the dependency on electricity for generating power. Also, Samsung’s transparent LCD panel maximizes convenience for not only manufacturers but also consumers by incorporating the High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and the Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.

Transparent display panels have endless possibilities as an advertising tool, which can be applied to shop windows and outdoor billboards or used in showcase events. Corporations and schools can also adopt the panel as an interactive communication device, which enables information to be displayed more effectively.

Full story here

Samsung put keylogger in new laptops

A user discovered a keylogger pre-installed on two brand-new Samsung laptops that the company admitted was there to "monitor the performance of the machine and to find out how it is being used." read more here

Earn £1000 and 2 tickets to Glastonbury!

Well - it's kind of ICT related!  You've just designed a festival flyer - why not a T Shirt and win tickets and money! 

Follow:  Design the Glastonbury 2011 T Shirt - Win £1000!
See previous years by following the shop link.  Good luck!  SMH

iPad 2 vs. Original iPad

Apple has recently released their new iPad to replace the first generation. It is good that apple improved on the original iPad but look out because the ipad 3 is out before the end of the year, and you dont want to waste your money.

The iPad 2 is thinner than the original and has a faster dual core processor  meaning launching applications is faster. The iPad 2 now comes with some of the features expected of the original iPad with a front facing and rear camera, the rear camera shooting in 720p. The iPad 2 is slightly lighter and features a new gyroscope not included in the original iPad check out a great summary table at engadget.com.

Kinect + 3D TV = Virtual Reality

The kinect has been hacked many times but this is by far my favorite kinect hack. In this video kinect is combined with a 3D Tv to create a 3D virtual reality. Using custom software it is possible to make the objects in the simulation appear to be real as the kinect tracks your movement and changes the image accordingly so that the perspective onscreen changes with your perspective.

An easy way to stream media from your PC to your xbox

Ever wanted to play music from your computer on your Xbox? ever got cramp watching a movie on your computer? Well why not stream content on your PC to your Xbox 360. Using windows media player or media centre you can stream content straight to the big screen and it is not that hard using your home wifi connection, Microsoft have a comprehensive guide

The Technology of Business - Special Report

Hello all - my first post and thanks once again to Leo for running with this idea! Join in, investigate and then share new knowledge relating to ICT!

Use the link below to view an extensive range of current and future ICT developments.  You may find particularly interesting the Watch and Listen content.
BBC Special Report - The Technology of Business

Enjoy & Learn!  SMH

Firefox 4 out today

Firefox three (released three years ago) was a massive competitor to Internet explorer. Firefox four has been released today after a long beta period it should be ready for the path ahead.

It has been a year in development and it has been worth it. Firefox four features a slick new interface, faster browsing speeds and support for HTML5. One major new feature is synchronisation. Firefox four is able to synchronise across all of your PC's and handheld devices that support Firefox four. It include synchronising history, preferences, passwords and tabs. The new security feature include encrypting of data that is passed on during synchronisation and general security updates including a concentration on CSS sniffing and stopping infected scripts from running.

take a tour here
it is available for download  here

Sony NGP to be released in Europe this year

Sony has a lot to offer with their new portable console codenamed the 'NGP' it is likely to be released in Europe before the end of the year. It features a touch screen with a new user interface not to mention ps3 quality graphics, 3g and wifi. with nintendo's 3DS allready available it is possible there could be competition.

If you want to know more about the sony NGP then visit tech radar for a great summary.

welcome

This blog is for students at Cranbrook taking ICT for GCSE (current year 10 ICT), if you would like to become an author then please contact me and I will add you to the authors list.

if you are wondering why the title says 09 instead of 10 this is because it is the year that this year group joined cranbrook (its in your user name) so that this blog is still applicable when you are in year eleven. Also the next year group will be able to use the same name with a different year.

The purpose of this blog is so that you can post links, text and images to share with everyone else. posts should be related to ICT and posts involving updates on technology news are encouraged. If you find something involving ICT interesting then here is somewhere share it with everyone else.

to comment on posts you must at least be a member so dont forget to give me your email address so i can add you.