The MAG 2012 by Ranney School

Ranney School 235 Hope Road Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 (732) 542-4777 (732) 544-1629 FAX The cover was designed by Jillian Ross and Rachel Macnow. The editorial staff uses Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher software programs to complete their layout work. The cover is printed on 65 pound Cougar cover stock. The pages are on 60 pound opaque white bond. The font used is Century Gothic for the majority of the publication with Orator STD applied to the titles.

Copies Printed: 250

Literary and Art Magazine of the Ranney Middle School 2012

Editor-in-Chief: Michelle Krameisen and Jacob Wahba Copy Editor: Rachel Macnow Layout Editor: Gregory Marx

Staff: Katie Juhase Noah Lakind Emma Nisbet Jillian Ross Emily Sallustio Alex Weiner Natalie Yang

Advisor: Mrs. Lorraine Benditt The MAG provides a venue for the publication of class work and the personal writings of the students of Ranney Middle School. The publication hopes to inspire the student body to appreciate the talent of its members and to express its own creativity in written and illustrative form. The pieces are judged anonymously by the staff members of the MAG, pending the approval of Mrs. Benditt and the administration of Ranney School. Work is accepted by Mrs. Benditt by due dates set at the beginning of each semester. In the spring of 2012, a contest was held to determine the best response to the task, “Create the computer/phone application of your dreams.” Winners were chosen anonymously by the advisor, editors and staff, with the exception of those who had submitted an entry. The winner is copy staff member, Jillian Ross, who was given a $50.00 I-tunes gift card as a prize. The runners-up are seventh grade students, Shane Keenan and Joseph Mahoney. Mrs. Benditt would like to thank her staff and editors for their enthusiasm as they elicited pieces of writing, illustrations and photographs to demonstrate the theme of “The Future of Technology.” She would also like to thank Mrs, Stacy Goto, Mrs. Allison Reddington, and Dr. Carol Palermo for eliciting submissions from their technology and English classes; Mrs. Nancy Wade for her editing suggestions; Mrs. Deb Fanslow and Mrs. Stacy Goto for their help with technology, as well as Mr. David Fischer, Head of Ranney Middle School, and Ranney administration for their support.

“Everyone here has the sense that right now is one of those moments when we are influencing the future.” — Steve Jobs Dear Ranney Middle School, With great pride, we present you with Volume Fourteen, Edition Number Two of The MAG: Myths and Glyphs: “The Future of Technology.” For this edition, we decided to create a MAG that was new and futuristic instead of reflecting back on the past and our beginnings as we did in Edition Number One: “Origins.” This theme shows that our generation can truly impact the future. We could not have completed this MAG without Mrs. Benditt’s hard work and dedication, Mrs. Fanslow’s and Mrs. Goto’s technological expertise, Mrs. Wade’s grammatical input, and Mr. Fischer’s administrative support. Now, we present the “Future of Technology” edition. We hope that you enjoy reading this wonderful work of art! Sincerely, Michelle Krameisen& Jacob Wahba, Editors-in-Chief

Technology has progressed greatly over time. We have gone from messages of importance taking many days and nights to be sent to taking a phone out of our pockets and pressing a few buttons. We are still making changes and advances in technology today. Are limits not to be found? What would you want your computer to do if you could choose and there were no boundaries? If I had this choice, I would make my computer able to recognize voice patterns to log me in and accept voice commands. I would also want to be able to connect to the Internet anywhere even if there was no Wi-Fi or wired Internet connection. If a computer could have conversations, give suggestions, or ask questions, that would be great! If computers could cross reference their comments with true facts or jokes on the web, that would be my dream computer. Open the pages of The MAG and see what the Ranney School students see as the future of technology.

“iWorld”

essay by Jillian Ross “No Text, No Talk” essay by Shane Keenan

1 2

“DreamWatch” essay by Joseph Mahoney “Finding Fashion!” essay by Tara Ryan

3 4

“The Cupcake App” essay by Ariana Morales

“iPhone” colored pencil drawing by Anjali Mann “The Closet Is Speaking” essay by Jessie Amdur

6 6

“Fetch” colored pencil drawing by Corrina Mazza

“STUDYBLUE” app review by Maggie Pearson “Starbucks App Review” app review by Jackie Erler “Temple Run” app review by Veronica Risucci “Draw Something” app review by Noah Ayers “Akinator” app review by Jacqueline Geller “Actual Height Compared to Estimated Height” Excel File by Mrs. Goto’s Computer Class “Robby the Robot!” computer graphic

8 9-10 10 11-12 13 14 15

by Rachel Macnow and Jillian Ross “Notes App” app review by Laura Lehrfeld “App Attack” app review by Anthony Moscato “Shazam” app review by Madison Gerhard “Instagram” app review by Leigh Brandt “Angry Birds iPhone Application” app review by Stephen Hawthorne “Bleacher Report” app review by Matthew Saker “Swampy, the Alligator” app review by Grace Cornell

15 16 17 18 19 20 20

“NBA 2k12” app review by Chethan Gourkanti

“Robot Smile” pencil drawing by Emma Nisbet “The Homework Robot” short story by Abby Boyan “Sallie’s Dream Car” Excel assignment by Sallie Haas “Siri” poem by Julianna Poupard

22 23, 25-27 24 27

“Robot Poem” poem by Dyan Biswal

“Past to Future” poem by Sam Metzger “My Personal Assistant: Siri” poem by Michelle Krameisen

28 28

“Reconnecting the Brain with a Limb” research report by Vasilios Nicholas

“The Future of Technology” photoshop artwork by Michlelle Krameisen “The Story of Michael Dell” research report by Jared Cohen “Technology Timeline” google photo timeline by Alex Weiner “My Personalized Robots” short story by Sabrina Stotts “Robot Man” pencil drawing by Anjali Mann “The Inventor of Robots” short story by Grace Hofferber “The Transporter” poem by Michelle Krameisen “The Fad” poem by Abhimanyu Choudhary

30 31-33 31-32 34 35 36-38 38 38

“New York Giants” jingle by Paul Jensen “Starbucks” jingle by Ryan Lubin “Robotron 6758” short story by Chip Johnson “Creating Roberta, the Robot” short story by Jessica Schoenhut “The Future Will Amaze You” poem by Michael DePalma “Robot Surprise” pencil drawing by Emily Sallustio “Bob, My Buddy” short story by Luke Grover “It’s Alive … Finally!” short story by Ankur Govil “Robot Creation” short story by Jacob Guss “Illustration for ‘Names’” colored pencil drawing by Kevin Xia

39 39 40 41-42 42 43 44-45 45-46 47, 50 48

“Honor Code iPhone” poster by Mrs. Rofrano’s Advisee Group photograph by Natalie Yang “P304” short story by Brittany Hofferber

49 50-52

“Helping the Earth Be Green” poem by Alexa Biswal “Man’s Footprint” pencil drawing by Max Chalnick

53 54

“The Future” essay by Max Chalnick “Illustration for ‘Names’” pencil drawing by Grace Hofferber

55 55

“Illustration for ‘Names’” pencil and marker drawing by Caroline Billyard “Illustration for ‘Names’” colored pencil drawing by Jillian Ross

56 57

“September 15, 2085” fictional journal by Olivia Nisbet

58-59

“Living in a World of Grey” poem by Jamie Shamilian “The Takeover” short story by Hazem Ani

59 60

“Lazer Dragon” pencil drawing by Joseph Mullaly

All computer apps are made for a purpose. Apps like Angry Birds and iBooks are developed to satisfy the user. Angry Birds is for fun, and iBooks is for learning. An app that would truly be revolutionary would be an app that could let people see the world without leaving their homes. It could be called iWorld. iWorld’s idea is simple: connect the end user to tour guides across the world, so people can virtually “visit” a location without actually going there. iWorld would have tour guides who know historical facts, and the tour would be interactive with a maximum occupancy of six users at a time. This would ensure that when there are questions, the tour guide could answer all of them. iWorld would be available for computers and iPods/iPhones. Anyone with Internet access and a few dollars would be able to see the world from his or her computer. iWorld could also revolutionize learning in schools. For example, if students are studying Greek history, iWorld could connect the class to a knowledgeable tour guide in Olympia, Greece. Students would be able to ask the tour guide any questions they might have on Greece. All in all, iWorld would be a great app to have in the App Store. It could help all people, from students to adults. It would change the way people view the world because they would be able to see it.

MAG Future of Technology 2012

This idea for a new iPhone application is a rather simple one. The concept is that if a cell phone is in a car or truck moving at thirty mph or greater and is being used for either text or phone, a notice would be sent to the police to alert them that someone is using a phone while driving. This app would reduce accidents all over the world and would help the population greatly by saving lives. It would also reduce the number of police officers needed on the sides of roads and highways who are on patrol looking for speeding or drivers operating a cell phone while driving. Rather than being a downloadable app, this software would come standard in most phones. In this way, no one would be at risk from an individual texting or talking while driving. In conclusion, this application would greatly decrease the amount of car accidents related to texting or talking while driving. Many people disregard the law in this area and forget that using a cell phone while driving is life-threatening.

MAG Future of Technology 2012

Have you ever had that moment when you wake up and don’t remember having a dream? Have you ever told your parents a crazy thing that happened in your dream but forgot what happened at the end of the dream? Well, those moments won’t happen anymore because of the new app called DreamWatch. DreamWatch can actually record your dreams and allow you to watch them in the morning. You can even download your dreams on other devices and bring them on the go. Now how does this stupendous app work? Let’s find out. You see, dreams are caused by chemical reactions and electrical impulses in the brain, which are then translated by consciousness into images, ideas, and sensations. To have this app work, you simply buy the special spandex headband and put it on your head before you go to sleep. This headband can come in multiple designs for young boys and girls and even adults. After placing the headband over your head, you hit the record button on the app. This headband can record your consciousness and see what you are actually dreaming and transfer it to your Apple device wirelessly. There is also another feature to this amazing app. If you can’t fall asleep, simply hit the lullaby button, and it will play you a song until you fall asleep. The song will shut off, so your device doesn’t lose a lot of battery. Now, how could you resist buying this app? In conclusion, a fun, stylish, high-tech app like this would sell off the charts and be the talk everywhere. You could compare your dreams to your friends’ to see if they ever dreamed a similar dream. The app will even note if you have a recurring dream. It will also help the parents of young children because when their kids find out they can actually see their dreams, they won’t whine about naptime. They would actually want to go to sleep. Don’t wait! Go out and get this awesome new app now!

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Finding a pink striped bikini with an entire mall right there in front of you: this should not be a hassle. However, the longer I searched, the more I realized there was a problem. Right then and there, I decided to create a new app, an app to assist daily shoppers in a way no one has ever thought of before. To have the ability to look through hundreds of stores without having to visit them all would be great. Right there on my phone would be pink striped bikinis in every style and size with just the touch of a button! You would see just where you could find them in the local mall or at any store near you at the speed of light. Going to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah? Don’t have a dress? Then quickly open the app and begin! Just type in “Teen Dresses,” and tons of results appear: short dresses, long dresses, tight dresses, and puffy dresses. The Fashion Finder! This app not only works for girls, but it works for guys too! Hey guys...want a new pair of board shorts? Click into the guys’ section for an astronomical amount of results for guys’ board shorts, once again, at the speed of light. This time saving app works for shoes too! Get results for matching clothing and shoes that can be found at the same stores near you without having to search at twenty different stores. You can access the technology of finding matching clothing and shoes by clicking the combo button. Found what you needed to find? When done looking for those board shorts or pink striped bikinis, click the “Save Money” button, which will automatically bring you to a screen with hundreds of sales and coupons related to that particular piece of clothing! Do you want “The Fashion Finder?” Are you wondering where you can find this astonishing app? Best of all, the app is free. At no cost, you can find fashion musts without the hassle. This time and money saving app is available at the App Store!

MAG Future of Technology 2012

Have you ever thought about how many different types of apps there are? Some apps can be games. Some are cooking apps, and some help you even do things like find out the weather. There are different types of apps for your every need, whether those needs are practical or for entertainment. However, there is one app yet to been created … If I could ever make an app, I would create a cupcake making app. I could design the cupcake myself. I could design everything from the filling to the topping to the frosting. I could make whatever cupcake in the world that I wanted to eat, anytime, anywhere. Then, once I had made the perfect cupcake, I could press a button, and it would come out of the app so that I could eat it. It wouldn’t even take hours to make; it could happen in a matter of seconds. I could enjoy my cupcake right then and there. My cupcake app could be used by everyone. It would be easy to use and hassle-free. It would also be customizable. For example, if I wanted a certain cupcake made at a certain time of the day, week, or month, all I would have to do would be to set my cupcake alarm, and the app would make one for me. What if I got tired of the same cupcake being made over and over? All I would have to do is make a list of different types of cupcakes that I like, and I could put the app on “shuffle” just like the command on CD players. My cupcake app could mark a new point in the history of cupcakes!

MAG Future of Technology 2012

A new phone app could be called, “The Closet is Speaking.” It could tell users what to wear today and send the clothes to them when they want them. The app would help a lot because when users are in a rush and don’t know what to wear, the app would choose. Once it tells the user what to wear, he or she could just go get it, or the app could send it. If a user is at a friend’s or family member’s house, and he or she didn’t bring anything to wear or didn’t bring anything he or she would like to wear, the app could send it by pinpointing his or her location. The user could just take one picture of his or her closet with all of his or her clothes and shoes in it. Once the user sees the picture that it sends, two questions would come up on the screen: send or decline. The app would cost $.99 Now, that would be a useful new phone app. MAG Future of Technology 2012

MAG Future of Technology 2012

STUDYBLUE is an online study tool. The website is available on your computer, and the app is available at the App Store. On STUDYBLUE you can make online flashcards. After you type your notes on your laptop, you can copy them onto your flashcards on STUDYBLUE, and then you can grab your iPod and study on the way to school. It lets you flip over the card and lets you decide if you got the question right or wrong, so you can track your progress. It even gives you a little graph to show that progress. It can also let you choose which side of the flashcard you want to see first. This app gives you the option to read the review sheet. You can also organize your flashcards and review sheets by lesson and subject. When you make folders for your different lessons or subjects, the app stores them in your “backpack.” STUDYBLUE also lets you post your status on Facebook, but if you don’t want to be bothered, you can easily post ‘Do not disturb.’ Now that I’ve told you about it, you probably want to see for yourself. Well the website is http://www.studyblue.com/, and the app is called STUDYBLUE in the App Store. I hope after reading this you are excited that you no longer have to lug your textbook in the car on the way to and from school!

MAG Future of Technology 2012

“Can I order a double shot frappucino mocha with two shots of espresso, please!” That phrase is probably something you would hear in a coffee shop, right? Well, how about Starbucks? The Starbucks App made by the Starbucks Coffee Company is a phone app for all Apple and Android users. This is a free app in the app store, and anyone can download and use it. The icon picture of it on the home screen is a white background with a green Starbucks symbol. When you open the app, you will be asked for a four digit password if you choose to make one. Once you have finally entered the app, you are brought to the home page. On the bottom of the screen are the “Home” tab, “Card” tab, “Rewards” tab, “eGifts” tab, and “Stores” tab. On the home page, there are nine options from which to choose. The first one is called “My Drinks.” In this section, your favorite drinks and your friends’ favorite drinks are found. Next, there is the “Favorites” option, where you can see your favorite stores, coffee blends, and food. Then, you come across the “Coffees” option, where you can look at all the packaged coffees that you might prepare in a coffee maker. After that, you find the option titled “Food,” where you can find a list of all the foods Starbucks has to offer. After the “Food” option, the app continues with a “Drinks” option, where you can find a list of all of the drinks Starbucks provides. You will also find a “Jobs” option where you can locate a barista, management, PR , or any other available job in your local Starbucks. The last three options are “Settings”, “Help”, and “Scanner.” In “Settings,” you can alternate the settings and your password, and, in “Help,” you can

MAG Future of Technology 2012

find answers to questions about the app. In “Scanner,” you can scan Starbucks products, and the app will register them and tell you which products you have. As I mentioned before, there is a panel on the bottom with a “Card” option where you can pay with a Starbucks card that you have put money onto through your App Store account. In “Rewards,” you can track the rewards that you earn through paying with your card. In “eGifts,” you can send a friend a Starbucks gift card! Finally, in “Stores,” you can find many Starbucks locations close to where you live. Overall, I really like this app, and I would give it five stars. It is easy to use, visually appealing, and allows you to keep track of your favorites. I really enjoy this app when I make a trip to Starbucks!

Looking for adventure without leaving your living room? Then Temple Run is the app for you. Temple Run is an action filled game, where you have to run from a temple and escape the gorillas. On your way through the escape route, you can collect coins, receive superpowers, be faced with deathly jumps, and many more challenges. Temple Run is available for touch screen devices. You play the game by swiping your finger across the screen, forward to jump, and side to side to turn. Some of the superpowers move for you, collect all the coins, or give you super speed. Temple Run is great because you can personalize your character. Once you get enough coins, you can change your character and change what he or she is wearing as well. Another plus to Temple Run is that game the game never ends, so you’ll never be bored! If you’re looking for a fun-filled game, then buy Temple Run today!

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The Draw Something application for IPhone, IPod touch, and other Apple devices is more than a copy of Pictionary. Pictionary is a game, where one person draws something and another person tries to guess what they drew. The players take turns doing that. While the app stems from a concept that has been used over and over, there are no time limits and no punishments for incorrect guesses. These aspects, along with the one-on-one setting, remove any sense of competition from the game. When it's your turn to draw, you get the choice between three words. Each word is more difficult than the last but also nets you more coins if your partner guesses the word from your picture correctly. You earn in-game coins to unlock various colors and shades with which to play the game. You can link the game to your Facebook account or use email or a username to find people you know. You can play several games at the same time, and you'll want to because your bank fills with coins each time you get a word correct. These coins can be used to purchase more colors or buy bombs that eliminate incorrect letters from the letter bank. The bombs are good, but I only found good use for them when my partner really struggled with the drawing. I use a free version of the game. Both the free version and the paid version allow play between iOS and Android users, and they both play identically. The version that is paid for eliminates ads, adds about 2,000 more words, and gives you 400 free coins. You can also opt to buy coins separately if you'd rather not wait to earn them.

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My friends and I encountered a bug while playing Draw Something on IPhones. When you start up, the application will bring you to a loading screen and then automatically quit the application. This can be fixed by deleting the application and downloading it again. This does not happen to everyone but happens randomly. Draw Something is neither a challenge nor a competition. It's a social game. Whether you're playing a close friend or a complete stranger, you learn about people. The way someone approaches Draw Something tells you a lot about them. Maybe he or she has an eye for detail, enjoys a good joke, or maybe plays in a way thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s completely unique. There are some bad eggs who try to earn a quick coin by simply writing their word. Like other actions, that one alone gives you an insight into what kind of person you're playing with. The lack of competition and challenge will understandably be a turnoff to many. The rest will discover pure, innocent fun and an amazing window into the minds of others.

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The Akinator computer app is just like a genie, but he doesn’t grant your wishes. He basically reads your mind. First, the player thinks of a real or fictional character. Next, he or she answers some questions, such as: “Is your character a female?” or “Is your character still famous?” etc. You can answer questions by saying: “Yes,” “No,” “Probably,” “Probably not,” or “Don’t know.” Then the genie, “Akinator” takes your results and guesses your character/person. From movie stars to politicians, he knows the answer! Sometimes he’s wrong, but that is pretty rare. If he guesses your person, he shows you how many times your character was played by people all over the world. You can even create your own character! With this app, the possibilities are endless! You can play this game on the iPhone. It costs $1.99, but, trust me, it’s worth it! I love this app! It’s not just that Akinator has to guess your character, but it also puts your brain to the test making sure that you know your own person! This app is very entertaining, and I enjoy it a lot!

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My iPhone and iPad have a Notes app that helps me stay organized and record things I need to remember. Just like a bulletin board or a refrigerator door filled with notes, my phone app lets me post important events that I can’t miss. The application allows me to write notes to myself and review the notes anytime. Also, any note can be shared with a friend by e-mail. If I get a thought in my head about something, I can use this app to write it down before I forget it. The app can be used as a diary to document my feelings about something or about the day in general. My notes won’t get lost, and I can delete them whenever I please. I can search my notes for a particular note, and, also, the app will tell me the last time I made an entry. I can store all of my notes in an organized way. In conclusion, I would recommend the “Notes,” app to all students and adults who have an iPhone or iPad. It will help you stay organized, and you will be able to review your entire day just by reading your notes.

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There are many apps that can be downloaded onto Apple devices such as the iPhone and iPad. Sometimes, it can be hard to find the right app. This app is suitable for all ages and is easy to use. This app is currently number 42 on the app list. This app is Skype; it is one of the most widely used web chatting programs out there. The program, Skype, is made by Microsoft. The app is made by Skype Software. This app is great and easy to use. Anyone can use this app as long as he or she has a Skype account. Once the user is signed in, the app can be broken down into four sections. These sections are “Contacts,” “Messages,” “Call,” and “My Info.” Under the “Contacts” portion are online contacts, all Skype contacts, saved phone numbers, recently contacted numbers, and blocked contacts.” Online Contacts” shows people that are online. All “Skype Contacts” shows all of your contacts. “Saved Phone Numbers” shows phone numbers if you have a paid Skype account. “Recently Contacted” shows all people with whom you have recently connected. “Blocked Contacts” shows anyone who is blocked. Under the “Messages” portion, you can see all of the IM messages your contacts have sent you. The “Call” section lets you call phones if you have a paid plan. Last, but not least, is the “Info” tab. This lets you post a comment, choose a profile picture, change your status, look at your profile, and change other settings for Skype. Skype is a great user friendly app. It is suitable for all ages. It lets people connect with friends and family around the world. In addition, Skype has the ability to allow videoconferencing which can be done anywhere at any time. On the app store,1,305 people rated this app, and the average rating is three-and-a-half stars. It should be a four-star app. If you don’t have a Skype account, you should create one, and, if you don’t have this app, you should download it. Socializing and connecting with your family and friends will be easier than you could have ever imagined. MAG Future of Technology 2012

Shazam is an app that you can get on an iPhone, iPod, or iPad. This is an application that tells the name of a song, the person that is singing the song, and the album from which the song has been taken. If you don’t know the name of the song that is playing on your car radio or at a party, just press play and the app will tell you all the information that you need to know. In order to use this app, all you have to do is install it, press play, and wait for it to finish listening to a song. Once the song is over, the app will load a screen onto your device that tells the musician’s name, the album’s name, and the song that is playing. You can even listen to a part of the song if you press the play button on the picture of the album cover. If you scroll down, there are a few paragraphs that provide more information about the artist, album, and the song itself. The number of paragraphs that show up on Shazam depend on how much information is available on the musician, his or her history, and the song. The other day, I was in the car, and the radio didn’t tell the name of the song that was playing. I was very curious, so I used Shazam. Within thirteen seconds, it listened to the song, sent it, and matched the song. Finally, it showed me the name of the song, “Starships” by Nicki Minaj, and the album, Starships, Genre-Pop. The information below told all about her, including how she became famous, her releases, and by whom Nicki was influenced. As you can tell, Shazam is great. It helps you when you need to find a song or need to know anything about a musician. It loads quickly and shares more information than needed. The next time you don’t know anything about the song playing or the artist, I would recommend using Shazam.

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Instagram is an app that enables you to share pictures with anyone in the world who owns an Apple product and has downloaded the app. This app lets you comment and “like” others’ photos and see who else liked or commented too. Also, if you want to be notified when someone uploads a picture, you can follow them. By doing this, you will be able to see the pictures that person posts, which photos they liked or commented on, and whom they started following. You can also set your profile to “private,” so only the people who are following you can see your photos, likes, and comments. If you’re comfortable with anyone being able to see your profile, you can make it public. Instagram also has a popular page. This is a page full of pictures that have received a lot of likes within a certain time period. Many businesses and celebrities have Instagram, too. At any point in time, you can delete or update photos, view photos you have liked, edit your profile description, change your profile picture, change your privacy settings, or invite friends to join the fun. Instagram is a great photo sharing app, and I would recommend it to people of all ages.

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Angry Birds is a family game application on multiple Apple devices, such as the IPhone, IPad, and IPod. This application can also be purchased on other devices. This game can be purchased for $2.99, $1.99, $.99, or for free. This app comes in the original Angry Birds game variety for either 99 cents or for free. It also comes in the Angry Birds Space, Angry Birds Rio, and Angry Birds Seasons varieties. These retail between $2.99, $1.99, $.99 and free. The different editions of Angry Birds feature different levels, characters, and can be purchased in high definition. The object of the game is simple. A player must kill the pigs by shooting one of the several Angry Birds characters from a sling shot. Seems easy enough, right? Well, not exactly. The green pigs are inside a structure that the angry birds must knock down to get to the pigs. Depending on the level, the characters may be different, the number of chances you get may be different, and the structures around the green pigs may be different. Also, you must pull the slingshot back to send the birds flying. You can adjust the speed and height depending on how far back you are and the angle at which you must pull back the slingshot. Then, you release and send those birds flying. In this game, there are multiple different characters with different moves and colors. In the original version of Angry Birds, the birds come in red, yellow, blue, and black. The red one does nothing special, but the other ones do. The yellow one can go very fast. The blue one can divide itself to make three blue birds. The black one can explode. To activate these features, all you have to do is touch the screen. Also, the green pigs can come in different sizes, large or small. Sometimes they are wearing helmets, so it is harder to destroy them. In conclusion, Angry Birds is a fun family game for all ages.

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Bleacher Report is one of my favorite apps and is one that many people out there would love. It is also great for catching up with last nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game on the fly instead of waiting for the highlights on ESPN. Bleacher Report is a sports news provider that can be found on the iPhone's App Store, as well as online. It mostly attracts fans of teams and players. It is easy to maneuver through the many sports, divisions, and teams/players. The great thing about this app is that it has constant important updates of information, keeping the app owners current about the latest news in sports. People favor this sports news app rather than others because the articles are not long nor dry but are rather short and to the point. It also has pop ups, if wanted, that keep you in the loop without having to check the app all the time. This app leads most sports apps on the market based on its popularity. Bleacher Report definitely deserves five out of five stars because it delivers great information as promised.

The application, Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s My Water is a challenging but fun game created by Disney. It is based on Swampy, the Alligator, who lives in the sewers and enjoys taking relaxing baths. Unfortunately, the other alligators keep sabotaging his water supply, so he needs some help. Your job is to guide the water to Swampy's bath, by swiping tunnels through the dirt to direct the water's flow. The score is based on the time taken to fill the bath, the number of rubber ducks collected and a bonus for water overflow. The game gets challenging as you go higher on the levels. The price is ninety nine cents but there is a lite version for free. It only has one set of challenges though. The profits all go to a charity that helps clean up oceans and rivers. Overall, it is a challenging and fun app.

MAG Future of Technology 2012

The IPhone app NBA 2k12 is a game on the IPhone. I am calling all of those basketball fans out there. In this game, you put yourself in the shoes of the highly competitive lives of an NBA player. In this game, you can play as your favorite player in the NBA franchise. For example, if you’re a New York Knicks fan, you can play as a player on the New York Knicks, like Jeremy Lin, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Carmelo Anthony. You can play in many modes, like “Quick Play.” In “Quick Play,” you can have a quick NBA game with your favorite teams. Another mode is called “Season,” in which you play in a season composed of 82 games like a regular NBA season. There is another mode similar to “Season” mode, called “Playoffs.” In the “Playoffs” mode, you have to play to beat other teams until one team wins the NBA Finals. The mode “Situation” helps the player get past situations that NBA players experience during every game. One of my favorites is called the “Jordan Challenge.” I am calling all Michael Jordan fans. In this mode, you must play as the NBA superstar legend, Michael Jordan, with all the teammates with whom he played during his career in the legendary franchise, The Chicago Bulls. You have to play though all of the obstacles that he faced to become a legend. Other features in this game include the amazing graphics they use. The players look so real, I feel like I am watching an actual NBA game on TV. Also, an NBA game is not complete without a stadium, so you can play in beautiful NBA stadiums, like the United Center of the Chicago Bulls or the Staples Center of the Los Angeles Lakers. If these features would not attract an NBA fan, what would?

MAG Future of Technology 2012

One rainy day, my friend Caroline came over. We couldn’t go outside, so we had to figure out something to do inside. We played a lot of board games and some card games. After a while, we got so bored that we started imagining what it would take to create a robot and what it would be able to do. First, Caroline shouted, “Mine would definitely be designed so it can do my homework.” I exclaimed, “My robot would be able to do my homework too!” We thought a little while about all the other things our robot would be able to do. Then Caroline suggested, “What if we tried to make one?” I thought about Caroline’s idea, and I said, “Yes, let’s try and make a robot. That will be fun, and we can make it do whatever we want.” We went up to my room and looked around to see what we could use. We found a few things but still needed some major materials, like tin for the body and head and some electronic parts. I had a great idea and shared it with Caroline, “There is a big pharmacy and a “Five Below” shop just two blocks away from my house. How about we get our boots and jackets on and walk uptown?” Caroline agreed, “That is a great idea. Let’s go.” We got all ready and saw the rain coming down hard, but that didn’t stop us. We ran to the pharmacy first and looked around. Caroline saw a small roll of tin and yelled, “Abby, come here. Look what I found!” I came sprinting over and saw what she was looking at. I declared, “Let’s get it. This will be perfect for our robot’s head.” We looked around a little bit more and saw some parts that we could use for the robot’s eyes and ears. I walked over to where Caroline was and asked her if she had found anything else. She replied, “No, I think we should pay and go to the “Five Below” store and see if we can find anything else for our robot.” After we paid, we went next door to “Five Below.” The rain slowed down a little, but it was still raining a lot. We walked into the store and an electronic set caught my eye. There was only one set left. I ran to the package but not before someone else had already picked it up. I went over to the counter where you pay and asked, “Do you have any more of those electronic sets?” The cashier answered my question by saying, “Let me check in the back for you.” She came back very quickly and said with a sad voice, “I am very sorry; there aren’t any more left.” (continued on pages 25) MAG Future of Technology 2012

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MAG Future of Technology 2012

I replied, “That’s okay.” I walked away from the counter and spotted the man with the electronic set that I wanted. Caroline and I both started following him to see if he would put the package down. He walked around the store a few times and then went to the counter to pay. The cashier told him how much it was, and he said, “Wow, that’s a lot,” and put it back. Caroline and I both ran to the package and got it. We were both so happy. We looked a little bit more around the store and saw a big, tin bowl. We thought this bowl would be great for the robot’s body. We thought we had all the supplies we needed but thought we might get hungry, so we bought two packs of bubble gum, two packs of “Twizzlers,” and a pack of mint gum for my mom. Then we headed home. When we got home, we were soaked from the rain. I changed into warm clothes and let Caroline borrow a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. My mom put the wet clothes into the dryer. Caroline and I both went up to my room with the things we had bought uptown. We first drew our own picture of what we wanted the robot to look like. We spent about twenty-five minutes on our drawing and decided the best drawing would be what our robot would be modeled after. “On the count of three, let’s show each other our pictures,” Caroline said. I counted, “One, two, three.” We both flipped our picture over, so the other person could see it. We both thought that each other’s picture was great, but we had to decide which picture was better. Caroline said, “How about on the count of five we say which picture we like better?” I counted, “One, two, three,” again. We both said which picture we thought was better. Caroline said, “Yours is better.” However, I said, “Caroline, yours is better.” We decided that the only fair way to do this was to ask my mom. Caroline asked my mom, “Mrs. Boyan, what picture do you think is a better drawing of a robot?” My mom took a little while to decide, but her final answer was Caroline’s drawing. We were going to try our best to make our robot look like Caroline’s picture. We ran back to my room because we were so excited to get started on our robot. We took out all of the supplies that we got uptown and started working. I asked Caroline, “What part of the robot do you want to make?” She answered, “I don’t care; I guess I will do the head.”

MAG Future of Technology 2012

“Since you picked the head, I guess I will do the body,” I said. So we got to business. Mine was coming along pretty well; I got the electronics in the tin bowl and then made a neck for the head to rest on. I said, “Caroline look; doesn’t the body look good?” She answered, “Yes, it does.” I replied, “All I have to do now is paint it.” After I said that, I looked over to where Caroline was and saw that she was ready to paint too. I said to Caroline, “The head looks so good. Do you want to paint with me?” Caroline answered, “Sure.” So I went downstairs to where our art supplies were kept. I saw a lot of different colored paints. I yelled up to Caroline, “What color do you want to paint the head?” She replied, “I guess brown.” So I got brown for Caroline and black for me to paint the body. I ran upstairs because I saw the time, and it was three forty-five. I knew Caroline’s mom was coming to get her at five. When I got to my room, I gave Caroline her paint, and we both started painting our robot. Then Caroline asked, “Where are the eyes and nose?” I replied, “Here you go.” I handed her the bag with all of the face pieces. After we thought we were done, it was four o’clock. I declared, “It’s already four o’clock; we need to hurry!” Then Caroline questioned, “Aren’t we done?” I said, “No, no, no, no. We still need to give the robot arms and legs.” We went down to my basement and found two back scratchers that we thought we could use as the arms. We were still on the lookout for legs for the robot. We looked for a little bit. We still didn’t find anything, so I had a great idea. I told Caroline, “I have a great idea; we can use big spoons for the legs.” Caroline agreed, “That is a great idea.” I went into the kitchen and got two really big spoons. Then, I went up to my room. I made holes in the robot’s body to stick the spoons into. Caroline put the spoons in, and we both held the robot up to the light, so we could see what we had done. We saw how good the robot looked, but then an idea popped into my mind which I shared with Caroline. I shared, “We need to see if this robot actually works and can do our homework.” Caroline replied, “Yes we do; that’s the reason why we built this robot.”

MAG Future of Technology 2012

We put the robot in a chair at a desk. We put one of Caroline’s multiplication homework sheets on the desk, turned a key and waited. After a while, we finally saw a movement, and the robot started to do the homework. Caroline and I shouted while jumping in the air, “We did it!” We were both so excited. The whole worksheet was done in five minutes, and the problems were all correct. I put a science worksheet in front of the robot. It took ten minutes, but that too was done perfectly. Then Caroline’s mom came, and I said good bye to her. We decided that I would keep the robot at my house for half the year, and then I would give it to her for half the year. I hope our teachers never find out about our amazing robot!

The screen lights up The buttons beep And the whole machine wakes up

I am running away as fast as I can All I know is that what’s chasing me is not a man I turn around and see that it’s a clan

She speaks “hello” With her robot voice

I take a quick look at its red eye

Her name is Siri, you know

And I see that he wants me to die And I know that he won’t even have to try

I click the letters

There is no way that I will survive this

I tap the numbers And add an emoticon for some fun

Knowing that if I fight they will break my fists Which will never get me to some sort of bliss

I touch send

Even if I give everything I’ve got

And the message flies

I will never get past this lot

To my friend a mile away

Of these terrifying robots

She talks back And makes me laugh Ten seconds later

We speak to each other With the buttons and sounds In seconds, no more MAG Future of Technology 2012

Who would have imagined electricity, TV’s, phones, or cars, When no one could have dreamed of travelling through space to visit Mars? Since computers and technology have changed our lives dramatically in the past, We wonder how many more advances in the future there will be and how long the world will last. Will cars drive on the road or will they fly through the air? Will Apple technology take over the world … now would that even be fair? Will robots be making decisions and is that how major surgeries will be done? With so many new inventions … will we be living on the sun? With technology advancing, computers and cell phones will soon be obsolete; We might be living on other planets … planet Earth is just where we will meet. People might live forever or will that be way too long? Advanced nuclear weapons will prevent that from going wrong. Will the future be too scary because our technology is just so advanced, Or will we live much better lives because it’s becoming so enhanced? Remember the world back in the day when everything was simple and carefree? Now everything is as easy as the press of a button … is that the way we want it to be?

She’ll make sure we’re never late And give us a way to communicate Checking our calendar and dialing the phone To anyone in any time zone She is a great assistant Always persistent And above all Siri’s answers are very consistent

MAG Future of Technology 2012

In the future, we might be able to help paralyzed people walk again or create prosthetic limbs that allow a person to feel and move normally. As impossible as it sounds, this can be made possible by using advanced technology. Micro-stimulators can be implanted into the patient’s paralyzed limb and will attach themselves to the patient’s muscles. A chip implanted in the patient’s brain will communicate with the sensors in the muscle, allowing the brain to communicate directly with the muscle. This will help paralyzed patients to walk again or allow a person to move a prosthetic arm or leg and feel again. The idea has motivated scientists and doctors to find out how the brain uses neurons to control our movements. By finding out how to read the neural activity, the doctors will be able to cure paralyzed patients.

Reference: Discovery Channel “2057” Documentary

MAG Future of Technology 2012

It was an ordinary day around my house. My artist and chef robots started to do their jobs. My artist robot asked, “What do you want me to draw?” “Draw dolphins jumping in front of a sunset, please,” I replied. “Got it,” my artist robot said. My artist robot’s name is Amber. Amber started to draw the picture. One hour later she was done. “Thank you,” I replied brightly. Amber said, “You’re welcome, anytime.” My chef robot Alexis started to cook breakfast. Breakfast was eggs, bacon, and pancakes with syrup. “Breakfast’s ready,” Alexis said loudly “Okay, I’ll be there in a minute,” I replied. I ran upstairs to my bedroom and threw on a sweatshirt because it was freezing in my house. I ran back downstairs and sat at the kitchen table. Alexis, my chef robot, served me. I said, “Thank you Alexis; it’s delicious food!” “No problem,” Alexis replied. Later on Amber was painting a pretty picture of flowers while Alexis was baking different sweets. I was tasting Alexis’ sweets and telling her whether they were good or not. I was also hanging up some of Amber’s artwork. I was thinking about what the world would be without robots, but I couldn’t imagine it. Amber said, “I am done painting the flowers.” “Great!” I replied. Alexis called from the kitchen, “There is a new type of sweet for you to try.” “Sounds good,” I yelled. I hung up the painting and tried the food. The painting was beautiful, and the food was delicious. I am so glad that robots are around and are always there to help me. MAG Future of Technology 2012

MAG Future of Technology 2012

Hello my name is Ann Marie but, you can call me Anna. The year is 3012. I am fourteen years old, and I made the first robot that could cook, clean and speak five different languages. This is how it began. One day, when I was riding my bike around town, I saw a man selling these two odd machines. I was so interested in what the machines could become that I lost control of my bike and crashed into a sign. Once I dusted myself off, I walked over to the vendor and asked him, “What are these strange objects?” “They are old mechanical objects, of no use to me really,” he said in a careless voice. I looked at them once more to see if they were worth a hard-earned pound. Maybe not, but I decided to take the risk… “And how much are you asking for them?” He stared at the objects then back at me with an evil look and finally choked up, “A pound and a deal.” Usually when I hear the word “deal,” I slowly back away, knowing the transaction will lead to no good, but this was different. “What kind of…deal?” I shot at him with a confused face. “If you can make anything, and I mean anything, with these, I will give your pound back,” he said chuckling as if I had no chance. I thought and finally came up with my decision, “Sure…why not?” I left the vendor with the two objects pressed under my arms and rode off. When I got home, I ran upstairs and locked the door behind me. I placed the two metal objects that looked like arms on my table and started thinking of what I was going to do with them. I sat at my desk staring at the two arms, and when I got an idea I would draw a model on a piece of paper. I finally came up with my idea. I was going to build a robot! I opened my door and ran downstairs to father and showed him my drawing. He stared at me like I was mad, but, once I showed him the two arms, he smiled and told me to have fun. That night I could not go to sleep. I was too excited to work on my robot. The next day I jumped out of my bed. Once I had my breakfast, I ran outside and rode my bike to the metal store. “Hello, what can I help you with?” the store manager said. “Hello, I am working on a project, and I need a lot of metal,” I told the man. He walked to the back room and grabbed a lot of different metals. When he came out, he asked, “What do you need the metal for?”

MAG Future of Technology 2012

“I need it for an invention I am making,” I told him. Once I paid for the metal, I stuffed it under my jacket. Once I got home, I gave my dad the change and asked my him for his metal cutters and his blow-torch and ran back upstairs. I worked day and night cutting and modeling the metal into body parts. I got two light bulbs and stuck them into the head I had made for my robot. During the next two months, I put the whole robot together. I painted clothing on it, so it would look interesting. One week later, I was finally done, and I showed my father the robot. “Can the robot move?” my father asked me. “Yes, father it can work; watch,” I told him. I clicked a button on its back, and its eyes lit up, and it started moving its arms and head and legs. Once, it almost reached the door, so I turned it off. “Ann Marie, that was amazing!” my father smiled and hugged me. “Thank you, father, I still have to make it do stuff,” I told him. During the next five months, I spent my time teaching the robot to speak English and four other languages. For the next four months, my mother helped me to teach the robot to cook and clean. After all of those months, I finally finished my robot. My father and I went to town and asked the mayor if we could use the stage in the middle of the square. “Everyone, come to the stage in town hall! We have a new invention to show,” the mayor said on the microphone. I saw everyone stop what he or she was doing and walk over to the stage to see what the invention was. “Are you ready to show them, Ann Marie?” my father asked me. “Yes, I am,” I replied shaking nervously. Once all the people gathered around, I began. “Hello, my name is Anna Marie,” I said. “I have made the first robot.” I saw people mumbling to each other about what it was. I told my father to take the sheet off of the robot. I saw people’s eyes sparkle and shine when they stared at it. “This robot can cook, clean and speak five different languages,” I said confidently. “How do you know that your robot can speak five different languages?” a man in the crowd asked. “If you don’t believe me, I will show you,” I responded. I turned the robot on, and I told the robot to say, “I can speak five different languages,” in the five different languages that I had taught it. Everyone stared in amazement. At the end of my presentation, the press

MAG Future of Technology 2012

ran to the stairs that I was coming down and asked me questions about the robot. They were also taking pictures of it. People made offers to buy my creation, but I turned them down. I told them I had to go talk to an old friend. I walked with my robot to the vendor from whom I had gotten the robot’s arms. “Hello, do you remember me?” I asked the metal vendor. “Well, hello, Anna, I see you made something out of those objects!” the vendor said smiling. “Yes, I have; this is my robot,” I said. “Well, I am guessing you want the money for the bet,” the vendor said. I nodded my head. He reached into his bag to take out one pound. When he was about to turn around, I handed him a pound. “What is this for?” the vendor asked. “If I never came to you to buy the metal arms, I would never have made an invention or have gotten the idea to make something,” I said smiling. “Thank you, Anna!” the vendor said smiling. I smiled back at him and said good-bye and walked home.

If I’m a PC and you’re a Mac, It’s much less likely you’ll be hacked.

Being here, being there

With that sleek aluminum case

Being everywhere

And your god given grace,

With the blink of an eye

You could complement any space.

Sailing through the sky

But when I want to play a game,

Arriving at your destination

You lose all your fame.

With joyful jubilation

Instead, your screen dies in shame. Then you get super-hot;

Being here, being there

That’s something I want not!

Being everywhere

But PCs are so slow!

Use the key

How could you say something so low!

To open up a world that is hassle free

With my quad i7’s

What will the future bring

And a graphics card from heaven,

With such ease during traveling

I’ll blow you out of the water.

Being here, being there

And show you how it’s done.

Being everywhere

Bottom line-Macs are bad; They’re just another silly fad!

MAG Future of Technology 2012

One day, the famous scientist Bob was at his lab in Boston, Massachusetts. He had been working on the invention of the century. Bob called it a robot. On that very day, 7-19 -2000, Bob’s robot came to life! The robot woke up, got off the table and said, “Hi, I’m the Robotron 6758. Would you like to give me a name?” “Yes, I would. Your name is Chuck!” the scientist exclaimed. For the next few months, Bob and Chuck tried to make a couch vending machine, but, on the night of 4-07 -2001, Chuck made thousands of robots that looked just like him. Bob woke up the next morning and asked Chuck why there were thousands of robots in his lab. Chuck replied, “Tell everyone you know to get out of our way, or he or she will be destroyed.” “But, why?” “We are taking over your world. Scientists have made millions of robots and killed them all! We are going to destroy the scientists, so they feel the pain of our ancestors.” “You don’t have to do this; you will not do this, I won’t let you leave.” “Fine, then be destroyed!” Chuck fired a single laser at Bob, but Bob was too quick for him. He dodged the laser and ran straight to the police. He told them his story. The cops waited a second, and then they burst into laughter. “But it’s true; all this happened,” I swear. “Stop, please. I can’t breathe!” said one of the policemen. While the cops were laughing, Bob turned around and sprinted to the closest government office. Bob told his story, and the officials believed him. The president said, “Do whatever you can to stop these things!” The president then called each countries’ commanding officers and told them. They also burst into laughter, then hung up the phones. Finally, the U.S. president declared war against the robots! Civilians were sent all around the world to save lives. The war in the U.S. began! After five months, the robots won. They then went all around the world, and, soon, the earth had no humans left. The earth was renamed Robot Central.

MAG Future of Technology 2012

It was the first day of the new school year. Jenna was a little nervous but mostly excited. She was looking forward to seeing all of her friends again. Jenna was starting the sixth grade, the first year of middle school. Jenna found her friends and caught up with them, and then they rushed to get to homeroom . Jenna and Julie, her best friend, were so happy they were in the same homeroom. They were in Mr. Jones’ class, and he was to be their science teacher this year. Jenna loved science and inventions. Later that day, when they went to science class, Mr. Jones explained all about a robot he was creating. He said he had been working on it for years. He was almost done, but some things still needed some work. He said he would need their help. Mr. Jones said the principal had agreed to allow him to bring his robot to school, so the students could help him finish his creation. The principal thought this would be a great learning experience for the whole class. Roberta, the Robot, was coming to class the very next day. Jenna and Julie and the whole class were so excited. Mr. Jones told the class their homework was to think of things they would like a robot to do. Jenna and Julie went home to Jenna’s house and started their homework. The science homework was their favorite assignment. When they finished all their other work, they started to come up with some ideas for Mr. Jones. They thought they would like their robot to do their homework, to tutor students to study for all of their tests, and, most importantly, Roberta should be a great dancer and a beautiful artist. The girls thought they had some great ideas for Mr. Jones, and they just hoped he would know how to give his robot these abilities. The girls couldn’t wait for science class to begin. They were anxious to meet Roberta, the Robot, and see just what she could do. When they stepped into the classroom, they were amazed at how big and shiny Roberta was. She was almost as tall as Mr. Jones, and she could already speak. When the class walked in, she was saying, “Hello class, it is nice to meet you.” All of the students were amazed. Mr. Jones asked all the children to sit down and tell him the things they would like Roberta to be able to do for them. When it was Jenna and Julie’s turn, the whole class agreed with their choices. Mr. Jones said, “It is settled then; we will work on programming Roberta to be able to tutor the sixth graders, to be a great artist and to use all of the best dance moves. All of you must do your own homework, though.”

MAG Future of Technology 2012

The class worked for months to get Roberta, the Robot, to do everything they wanted her to do. Mr. Jones taught them much about how to get it done. Finally after many months of hard work, Mr. Jones felt like Roberta was ready to be tested on all that she knew. Jenna and Julie couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe the time was finally there. That week, Roberta met with all of the students to tutor them for their math test that week. All of the children got A grades on the test; it was amazing. Roberta had done it! Next was the test to see if Roberta was truly an artist and a dancer. The students programmed her to decorate the gym and plan a sixth grade dance. All the students and Mr. Jones waited outside of the gym. Everyone was wondering if Roberta could truly do it. When Roberta finally rolled to the doors and opened them for the students, they could not believe their eyes. The gym looked beautiful. The painting was perfect. Roberta had painted the back drop on the stage, and it truly was perfect. The next thing surprised everyone the most. The music started and right up front on the stage was Roberta, the Robot, showing everyone the best dance moves they had ever seen. When the principal saw the grades from the math test, he went straight to the gym to tell Mr. Jones what a great job Roberta had done. When he walked into the gym, he was amazed at the beautiful artwork and all the talented dancers. It seems that having a robot at school really is a great thing for all.

The future will amaze you. We will have flying cars that will run on air. We will talk to people out of the palms of our hands. Go from one location to another in the blink of an eye. Robots will serve your every need. Go back to simpler times whenever you want, But today that is just a dream. Tomorrow it will happen. Are we prepared for what's in store? The future will amaze you!

MAG Future of Technology 2012

It is so much fun having an inventor as a dad. When I was little, we would always say to each other that I would take over the business. When I was twelve, my father, my very own father, asked for my help because he knew that the younger generation was more knowledgeable than his own about electronics. I was so excited that I gave him a big hug and told him, “I will not let you down; this is when I will show you that I am great and that you are a great teacher.” Bob, my buddy, was invented by me and my dad. Bob, my buddy, was made out of scrap metal from the junkyard and the voice activated computer from my dad’s car. Bob, my buddy, is four-feet tall and appears like a small boy with the exception of rolling feet and a square head. Bob sits at the chair by the front door waiting to be called upon. When I open the front door, he says in his robotic voice “Well, hello, Luke. May I relieve you of your bags? Time to start your homework.” He knows what books I need because he is connected to the Ranney School website. He places my books on the table, and he asks, “Would you like a refreshing snack after the long day at school? What did you have for lunch, Luke? Did you have the flank steak or the grilled cheese?” I respond, “Grilled cheese.” Bob, my buddy, says, “Since you had grilled cheese for lunch, may I make you pizza for a snack?” I take out my math homework, and Bob says, “You may want to start with science because it is a little tough tonight.” “As I put my essay together, can you print out two pictures of two plate boundaries colliding?” Bob says, “Yes, did your teacher get to page 156 today? It tells you that sometimes when two plates collide, an earthquake is formed. Your prints are ready.” I retrieve my print from the tray in Bob’s chest. “Reminder, please get your things together for karate. You will need to leave the house in twenty minutes.”

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“I am busy with my science essay; can you grab my gear from my room?” Bob, my buddy, connected himself to the conveyor belt and was pulled upstairs. My dad thought of this idea because Bob’s wheels don’t allow him to wheel upstairs As an alarm, Bob my buddy’s chest flashes red telling me to leave for my appointment. Bob rolls outside and places my gear into the trunk of the car. I jump into the passenger seat, and Bob yells, “Enjoy grappling and boxing. You should be home by 7:00 p.m. I will be waiting for you.” Bob rolls back inside and sits in his chair waiting for me to return. When I have friends over, they think Bob, my buddy, is the best and the coolest thing ever. One of my friends even asked for Bob, but I would never let him take my best friend. I did tell my friend, “For a price, my dad and I would build you a buddy.” Surprisingly, my friend not only wanted one, but his Dad bought three, one each for himself, his son and his wife. He paid us eight thousand dollars each! Now, everyone we know has a buddy to do with as they choose, and everyone is buying them for eight thousand dollars or more. I am hoping that soon we will start making them for people around the world.

“Why!” exclaimed Garth. “Why don’t you work?!” cried Garth. Garth was a mad scientist, who was thirty-eight years old and who, one day, hoped to make the world’s best robot. He lived in the city of Chicago, and his lab was breathtaking. It was two stories high, and it had fifteen supercomputers the size of Smart Boards. He had any and all types of chemicals and instruments of any and all shapes and sizes. He told his wife, Pauline, that his robot, when made, would obey any command and would act like a servant. “Calm down, and be patient,” reassured Pauline. “I know how upset you are, but you will get it.” “No, I never will. Why did I even bother making this piece of junk?” responded Garth. “It will work; I promise you that,” said Pauline. “You work day and night on that thing, and you are bound to get it right soon.” “Master, I think I know why you might have failed,” spoke Garth’s servant, Warren. “There was coffee spilled onto the robot’s plug.”

MAG Future of Technology 2012

“Oh, very good,” said Garth. After Warren explained this news to Garth, Garth started all over again, but with eagerness. He rewired all of the wires and circuits, redesigned the robot’s body and face, and programmed a chip into his body that would act like Garth’s brain. It happened late at night. “All right, everyone, gather around,” stated Garth. “You are about to witness the birth of the world’s greatest robot.” “I’m so excited!” exclaimed Pauline. “I can’t wait.” “Me either,” added Warren. “All right, ready? I am about to place the plug in the outlet. Okay... here we go!” Once the plug went in, they waited for two minutes, but nothing happened. “I don’t know why it is not working,” said Pauline puzzled. “I thought I did everything right. I plugged all wires and circuits, redesigned his body and face, and put his chip in. What am I missing?” inquired Garth. “Sir, did you put the batteries in his starboard compartment?” questioned Warren. “Of course, I did; I will show you that they are in there,” explained Garth. Garth approached the robot, but, when he opened its compartment, there weren’t any batteries in there. “I am absolutely sure I put those batteries in there,” said Garth. “I guess I will put them in now.” “Good idea,” stated Pauline. As soon as he put them in its compartment, he stepped back, hoping for it to work. Again, they waited two minutes. “I don’t believe this,” remarked Garth. He began to walk towards the robot. Once he approached it, an amazing thing occurred. “Hello sir, how are you? Do you need anything?” asked the robot. It was very tall. It had a red antenna on its head, and it beeped every five seconds. It had small beady eyes, a pointed nose, and a wide mouth that was green on the inside. It had a long and wide silver body that had at least thirty red buttons, which made very weird noises. “Oh my gosh, you work,” said Garth. “Unbelievable! I just can’t believe this. Thank you so much! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

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I walked out of the SciFi movie and thought to myself, “It would be cool to have a robot like that to help me in life!” The movie was about a community in the future that had robots to help everyone. People didn't have to do a lot of work, and life was a lot easier. They all had lots of free time to enjoy themselves. After I went home, I sat in my room and thought about how I could make a robot. The next morning I woke up determined to build one. I had to think for a long time. Then, I said happily, “I can use some of my video game consoles’ chips and wires to make the robot!” On my first attempt, I failed. I put in the batteries, but absolutely nothing happened. The robot didn’t even make a beep. I was confused and frustrated. I moved some wires around and put in several new chips, hoping that would work. I put in the batteries, and it turned on. My creation was alive! The first thing I had to do was to give my robot a name. I called him Joseph because I liked the name. I said to Joseph, “Hi, you are my robot. Your name is Joseph.” I continued, “I would like you to help me with my chores, homework, and play games with me.” He replied, “Okay, but I don’t know what I should do?” I realized that Joseph knew nothing about me or my life. He would have to be taught everything. “Joseph, do exactly what I do!” “Okay, you are my master.” Joseph opened a control panel on his arm and pushed several buttons. He became fuzzy and a little blurry; then, his shape began to change. “Oh my gosh, you look just like me!” I then asked Joseph, “How did you do that?” He replied, “I have a button on my control panel that makes me look like my creator, you.” “Amazing,” I thought. “What an incredible device!” Later, I asked him, “What other cool functions can you do with your control panel?” He answered, “The control panel lets me walk through walls, be invisible, and do a lot of work. In addition, my computer brain makes me very intelligent.” Once Joseph had learned enough about me, I had him go to school for me. He was the best at playing hide-and-go seek because I could never find him when he was invisible although I could find him when I used my metal detector. I got to sleep late every morning since Joseph did all my chores before anyone got up in the morning. (continued on page 50) MAG Future of Technology 2012

MAG Future of Technology 2012

I realized that I had created a very special robot. He must be carefully protected. One morning, my mother came into the basement while I was working on Joseph. I quickly pushed his invisibility button to hide him. I thought to myself, “That was too close!” After that, I had Joseph build a secret room in my basement with a special lock that only opened with my fingerprint. No one, not even my mom, knew about Joseph or our secret room. If I was to have him pretend to be me, no one could know he existed. A few months went by, and I realized life with a robot was near perfect. I still couldn’t believe how a movie inspired me to make a robot that changed my life. Joseph and I kept our secret, and just like the people in the movie, my life was so much better after my robot creation.

The calender reads the third day of the second month, 4090. Usually, after revealing the date, a story would proceed to tell you the significance of the date. Well, not in my story. My story is about an ordinary girl, in an ordinary household, where machine making takes place. Seems exciting right? Well no, it isn’t. For my future children, I am sorry for not having such an exciting life. How will future generations tell the story of Samantha, the great or Samantha, the wise? I am neither, but if I could say one thing for myself, I am pretty nifty with machine work. As my father told me, “All you gotta do is put the craft in the hover….or something like that….” Anyway, I must go downstairs to the machine room; it’s time to start a day of hard tasks, fixing messed up robots. “Now, all you have to do is say ‘ Hello,’ and I’ll put you back in service, okay? Don’t tell the boss,” I say to the small robot that I currently am fixing. “What boss?” I peer out of my eye. It’s the dreadful Mr. Harrison. He has been my boss for a year now, and he has been very rude to anyone or anything that gets in his path of perfection. For example, Mr. Harrison destroyed a hovercraft just because it couldn’t land exactly ten mm away from a target site (practice dummy). He yells at me constantly because I eat my food pills too fast, I cough too loudly, I have a small scratch on my face; it is annoying.

MAG Future of Technology 2012

“Oh…umm, nothing I was teaching P304 how to….say hi to you, boss,” I make up a lie as well as I can. He sneers at me with an “I am on to you” look. I stare at him, confidently, trying to get away from certain danger. “All right, but it has to be ‘Hello’ instead of ‘Hi.’ Change it,” he sneers. He proceeds to swallow three food pills and go off on his way, inspecting the world. “Phew…P304, you really are needy today,” I say to the motionless robot. After a few minutes of a stare-down, trying to see what is wrong with the darn thing, the robot sends a series of beeps. All I do is sit there in astonishment. Beeping is a form of communication used by the Glades, people that live far from here. I may not be the smartest fellow on the planet, but I could infer this robot has seen many things and explored lands of the unknown. While wondering about the robot’s adventures and trying to figure out what villains it has slain on its path, Mr. Harrison’s nasty voice rings through my ears. “Samantha, it is time to see P304; the merchants are impatient and need the robot’s parts,” says Mr. Harrison. I turn around and push the small robot behind me, “What robot? I don’t remember any robot. No robot here,” I chuckle trying to make the mood warmer. “Very funny, Samantha, let me see the darn robot!” He pushes me aside and obtains P304. I have two choices: a) let my boss take the robot to the trash room or b) stop him from taking my mysterious robot. I mean, after all, maybe this robot could become my adventure, my opportunity to become Samantha, the great. So I do it. I become what future generations want me to be: Samantha the great. I swoop in and scream,” Stop!” He pushes me aside again as if I were trash. Usually, me being me, I would just give up, but I am Samantha, the great. I don’t give up. I get back on my feet and tackle him with all my might.

MAG Future of Technology 2012

“Get off me, Samantha; it’s useless! Your father would be ashamed,” he screeches. That’s when I lose it. He doesn’t know my family, and he certainly doesn’t know my father. Right before I am going to give him a taste of his own medicine, P304 comes in and knocks him out with his heavy, metal arm. I am surprised; P304 was completely broken before. ”Beep bo beep squa squa lo,” announces the small robot. Recently, having taken a class on beeping, I know exactly what the robot means. The robot is not only from the land of the “ancient” Glades, but the Glades are still alive. He continues telling his story but is interrupted by guards. Usually, I wouldn’t run from the guards because I am innocent, but, standing over what looks to be a dead body doesn’t exactly make the cut. Therefore, I run with P304 zooming behind me. The guards keep up, but I throw them off when I shimmy through the robotic flower field. I keep running until I get to the S.A.F.E. tree fort that I made when I was younger. The S.A.F.E tree fort isn’t exactly the ideal place to hide, but it is my last resort. I know the guards are already starting to search the district for me, so I have to come up with a plan.. Five food pills later, I decide that it is thinking time, but, before I can even start, my imagination starts to take off. I imagine my parents being hustled by the guards. I see my parents’ faces, disappointed and mad because I “killed” a man. But, I know that’s just my imagination, and it can't be true. Mr. Harrison will wake up sooner or later, and he will say horrible things about me. At least then, my parents will know I didn't kill a person. Yeah, maybe they are mad at me because I am not their perfect machine worker daughter, but my adventure must start. I want to see the world, where there are no tasteless food pills and everyone is different. I do not want to be that ordinary girl anymore, so even though it might hurt some people, it is time for me to become me. On that note, with a bag filled with provisions, P304, my trusty tour guide and companion, and I set off for the Glades without turning back.

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Computers, and phones, what do they mean? The worst part is that they’re not even green! With all the garbage in the air, All of us humans don’t even care. The more and more we make; The more and more we take. The poor earth is crying; All of its animals are dying. Why can’t we use our gifts for everyone? Not just us and only us. Solar panels and electric cars, Those are definitely getting us far. To help the world and all that live there, We must be one and do this together. We can make a difference you see, And we will with our gift of technology.

MAG Future of Technology 2012

The future will be a wonderful place. There will be no more pollution, and the human race will be able to coincide with nature thousands of times better than before. There will be no more extinction of other species from human causes. The human race will also further develop its technologies, while still preserving the environment. We will be able to improve our knowledge of medicine greatly, especially for people with failing body parts. People who have lost limbs and/or organs will have them replaced with artificial body parts and will be able to live as comfortably or more comfortably than before. We will increase our understanding of the surrounding universe and send astronauts farther from Earth than ever before. We may even start a colony on Mars, consisting of the bravest and most adventurous of pioneers. We will know more of our own planet, too, by exploring the rest of the unknown in the world’s oceans. We will help third-world countries develop and become equally successful. The entire world will be prosperous, healthy, and everyone will get along. On the other hand, maybe we will continue to do destructive things and worsen the consequences, too. We could destroy nature by polluting the entire world. We may barely have resources to survive. We might fight over resources, to the point of death. All of our wonderful technology could be used to harm instead of help. There might be a huge war, possibly WWIII. It would leave whole cities as wrecks. Everyone would be living in a post-apocalyptic world, where it’s every man for himself, and no one can trust anyone else. Even if a form of government could arise, it surely wouldn’t be a fair one. The world wouldn’t be able to go back to its former glory. Which outcome will the world choose? Only we can decide.

MAG Future of Technology 2012

Diary Entry, September 15th, 2085 10:05 a.m. Today is the day – the day everyone has been dreading. The rulers of the world have agreed that technology must be shut down. Ever since the year 2000, the natural world has begun to decline. Pollution levels started to increase, along with problems with face-to-face communication, obesity, and inactivity. Now, there are close to no trees left in the world, and most animals are extinct. Most of the animals in the world have been cloned and made into robots anyway. I, Sydney Dawson, have never left my house because of the extremely high levels of pollution. There are a lot of laws that the government has made to keep pollution levels down, but all have failed. I’ve lived my entire life of fourteen years in my house. It has everything that is needed for survival – food, water, oxygen, etc. I wish I could have a real human friend though, like in stories of the old times, back in the 21st century. The only “people” I can talk to are my robot guardians because my parents died when I was only two, due to a tragic plane accident. I wish I could live in a time where there was an outside world that everyone could enjoy.

12:13 p.m. At precisely 12:00, a loud bell rang at the center of the city. This signaled that the removal of all technology has begun. Right now, I am waiting for the authorities to come to my house and remove everything – computers, cell phones, even my robot guardians. I don’t know what they will do with me. Will this be another law passed that will also fail, or will it finally work to stop all of the problems in the world? I sure hope it will work. Also, where is all this technology going to go?

1:02 p.m. The authorities just left the house. They all wore masks covering their faces to protect them so I could not see what they looked like. All that is left is a bed and some food and water. The authorities told me that someone else would come to pick me up, and that I would be living with him or her. I already feel at a loss – I don’t know what to do. I guess I’ll just take a nap.

MAG Future of Technology 2012

3:44 p.m. At around 2:00, right in the middle of my nap, two strange people came into my house. They looked nothing like the robot parents that I was used to. They looked older, about forty years old. When they woke me up, they were smiling and spoke in a quiet tone as they got me out of bed. We walked for about three miles until we got to their house. On the way there, we also had to wear masks because the pollution was so harsh. I could finally see what the world around me was like. When we got to the house, they introduced themselves as Mr. and Mrs. White. I guess this will be my last name now. Their house looked similar to my old one, but with more things that I heard people in the 21st century used. I was fascinated. They also introduced me to their pet cat. I have never seen or heard of anyone having a real animal, much less in his or her own house as a pet. I know I’m going to like it here. After I was settled in, my new parents and I had dinner together. We shared stories about the past and hopes for the future. I love having someone to talk to.

10:20 p.m. Great News! My new family and I have already heard that the world has begun to improve. Pollution levels have begun to drop, almost low enough that we can go outside without putting masks on! By next week, we can all go outside and play just like in the stories I’ve heard of old times! I hope I can make new friends. I almost forgot, starting on September twentieth, I’m enrolling in a school! I can’t wait to learn new things and meet new people! I think the world without technology will be a great improvement in our lives. I am so excited about my new life!

Best regards, Sydney White Flames burning everyday Living in a world of grey Metal marching through the fire Darkness programed in every wire The thing in which we put all our trust The thing that I will turn to rust I prevail through the flames and fire I shall achieve what I truly desire A steel rod spears though my heart From this world I shall not part Our own devices which we once sold Made my wretched body motionless and cold MAG Future of Technology 2012

In the year 2020, technological devices rose up and took over the world. I live in a calm neighborhood where everyone knows each other and they are friends. I have a big, hardworking family that relies on technology; it includes my parents, my two sisters, and my brother. I graduated college and just returned to live with my family for the summer. We were getting along nicely until the incident. The problem started on a stormy night while I was watching TV. Lightning kept flashing everywhere. Then, while I was watching TV, the power went off when a lightning bolt hit my generator. All of a sudden, the TV came back on, but it wasn’t normal. The screen was glowing bright green, and a robot-like face appeared. A deep and scary voice came from the speakers saying, “We have watched you pesky humans. We have decided that you don’t deserve life, so we will be taking over.” The TV started growing arms and legs and broke off the wall. It went outside, and when I looked out the window, I saw an army of every kind of device. I heard my TV speak up and say, “Brothers and Sisters, it is time we rule this world and capture every human. We’ll make them our slaves!” Eventually they captured everyone except for me because I cleverly hid in the attic. While I hid in the attic, I planned a clever way to shut them down by clicking the reset button on the generator. This was tricky because the generator was surrounded by two microwaves and three computers. I remembered the old water gun I had when I was a kid. It was stored in the attic. I quietly went downstairs and got some water. Then I opened the window in the attic and shot them. After that, I went sneakily to the generator. I opened the box and saw a phone sleeping in it. I carefully took him out of the box and hit the reset button. Every robot fell to its knees. I saved the humans, but there was still one creature missing…….my TV.

MAG Future of Technology 2012