Technologies such as typewriters, analog cameras and cassette tape players are fading from human awareness. A new report from YouGov, a consumer data firm, examined generational differences regarding technology and found that most Gen Zers — those born in this millennium — wouldn't know how to use a fax machine, rotary phone, floppy disk or beeper. For example, just 17 percent of young people said they were comfortable using a rotary phone; 15 percent said the same about fax machines; and just 7 percent said so about pagers.
Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a virtual reality environment to train drones to fly fast around obstacles. Dubbed "Flight Goggles," the software causes drones to "see" virtual obstacles in space that is actually clear of physical objects — giving drones a way to fail during flight training without being involved in repeated, time-consuming accidents.
Sony today introduced a 10-inch version of its Digital Paper device. The new model is "notebook-sized," compared to the original 13-inch "letter-sized" model.
Smartphone shipments fell to 334.3 million in the first quarter of the year, down 2.9 percent compared to the same period last year, according to a new report from International Data Corp. Sales in China, where shipments dipped below 100 million for the first time since 2013, are largely behind the drop.
Tablet sales fell to 31.7 million in the first quarter of 2018, an 11.7 percent drop compared to the same period in 2017, according to a new report from International Data Corp. Detachable tablets were a bright spot in the category, showing a year-over-year improvement of 2.9 percent and a 15.3 percent market share. Sales of traditional tablets, on the other hand, were down more than the market overall, having fallen 13.9 percent below sales for 2017's first quarter.
OOHLALA Mobile and DubLabs, both mobile platforms for student engagement and communication, have merged. The combined company will be able to offer higher education institutions "more system integrations, better student communication tools, and smart data analytics to help improve student engagement, communication and success," according to a news announcement.
The top technology-related priority for community colleges in the coming year is mobile device and app support, according to a survey from the Center for Digital Education. About a third of those institutions have a strategy in place for use of mobile devices, and more than half are piloting the use of devices in the classroom but lack a formal strategy for doing so.
A small private institution in New York is using mobile to better communicate with students and keep them engaged with campus events. St. Francis College partnered with Modo Labs to create a mobile app that personalizes the user experience for different student populations. For instance, the college is catering to prospective students with modules for Open House and Accepted Students Day, and already seeing an increase in online applications, according to a news release.
A new mobile browser developed at Carnegie Mellon University offers a better search experience for people doing complex searches across multiple websites. The app offers the promise of replacing the overwhelming tab management required by iPhone's default Safari browser. The Bento browser, as it's called, compartmentalizes search sessions into a project workspace structure.
A professor of electrical engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University uses Sony's Digital Paper device for e-textbooks, lecture notes, grading and more.
