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VOLUME 15 • ISSUE 4 TECH • JANUARY 27, 2014
CES products take the stage in Las Vegas kacey fang & alexis gauba
ternet of things is becoming larger, so one of the priorities of these companies is probably attaching all devices to the Internet, like refrigerators that can access the Internet,” he said. “I think that’s just a great step forward because now you have the access to understand truly where our energy is used and be able to minimize energy use in that way as well.” Kilian Burke (12) also anticipates technology that will allow users to connect across their various electronic devices. “I think tech companies should be focusing on how people can use the devices they already own to interact between themselves, like how can my phone interact with my car or my house?” he said. The latest in wearable technology, the June created by Netatmo intends to protect users from sun damage by monitoring exposure and suggesting ways to prevent UV damage, all while disguised as jewelry. Users can check their sun exposure on an app that connects with the bracelet in order to “be sun savvy,” as Netatmo says. Avail-
features editor & reporter The Las Vegas Convention center buzzed with excitement as tech companies unveiled their latest innovative ventures at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) hosted by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) from Jan. 7 to Jan. 10. Featured products include the Kolibree toothbrush and the C-MAX Solar Energi Concept car.
with tall buildings or little sunlight. Having these solar cells on top of the car will also eliminate the need for consumers to charge their cars or go to a gas station. MakerBot unveiled the MakerBot Replicator Z18, their latest addition to their selection of 3D printers, which at 2,592 cubic inches specializes in printing extremely large items. The printer includes a camera, which captures the users prints and stores them in an easily accessible cloud library. It also gives consumers an easy way to upload photos of their final product to social media sites. With the release of this printer, MakerBot is launching an app which will allow users to monitor the printing process from their mobile devices as well as receive updates from the printer. The MakerBot Replicator Z18 will available this spring for $6,499. A smaller version, the MakerBot Replicator Mini, will be released at this time for $1,375. The next CES will take place in Las Vegas from Jan 6. to 9, 2015.
vivek bharadwaj asst. sports editor
Price: Free Apple App Store Rating: 3.5/5 Platforms: Apple, Android
KACEY FANG = WINGED POST
ALEXIS GAUBA - WINGED POST
FORD
From experienced companies like Intel to startups like Kolibree, innovators across the world debuted vast new collections with products ranging from cars to wearable devices. CES serves as an annual platform for these companies to announce their latest technologies and for consumers to keep aware of ongoing innovations. Vamsi Gadiraju (11) expects that many of the products coming out this year and in the near future will deal with connecting devices to the Internet. “I read articles about how the In-
able in three colors with a detachable centerpiece, the June can be worn as a bracelet or a brooch. Netatmo has not released information regarding the release of June. Dubbed “the world’s first connected toothbrush,” Kolibree came out with a smart toothbrush, which uses sensor technology to track user’s daily brushing habits. The brush can also sync to smartphones to show data on what areas of the mouth a user may be missing and includes games encouraging users to brush better next time. The app encourages families to use the technology together by allowing five users to share one account. The company has not specified the release date of the product. Taking a new step in the production of environmentally-friendly cars, Ford has created the C-MAX Solar Energi Concept car, which can recharge its batteries under the sun in eight hours. While the company has designed an aluminum canopy to concentrate sunlight onto the panels, it still needs to resolve other issues, such as how the car would function in areas
NEW TECHNOLOGIES: (Top left) C-MAX SOLAR ENERGI CONCEPT The latest Ford concept car, dubbed the C-MAX Solar Energi Concept, recharges its batteries under the sun. While the car, which was just launched at CES, is one of its kind, it nonetheless has other issues that must be fixed before it becomes a viable consumer product. (Bottom left) SMART TOOTHBRUSH The Kolibree uses sensors to track how users brush their teeth. The brush syncs this pattern recognition to smartphones so that users can improve their brushing skills. (Right) 3D PRINTING Math teacher Victor Adler demonstrates the 3D printer located in his room. He has used this gadget in his classes to demonstrate 3D modeling.
Amending wifi woes copy editor & Aquila opinion editor The speed of wireless Internet access in places like Main Hall remains a common complaint at the Upper School, but with recent changes, these issues may no longer exist for students and teachers this semester. “What we’ve got in Main building is a lot of cinderblocks,” said Daniel Hudkins, Instructional Technology faculty member, referencing the cement that makes up most of the walls for Main building. “And cinderblocks are particularly not helpful at transmitting radiowaves.” During the second half of Winter Break, Upper School computer technician Alex Osorio ran diagnostics on many of the transmitters located on the walls of each classroom in Main Hall. He reoriented and swapped out antennae, and in some room’s cases, he added a panel to further boost Internet speeds. Tech staff have also opened a second WiFi network, entitled “MercuryFast” for students and teachers. This connection has the same password as the regular WiFi network, but
serves to curb the flow of users all on a single network at once by introducing an alternate way of accessing the Internet. Hudkins cited a number of other upcoming changes to the Upper School, including an increase of bandwidth from 100 megabits per second (mbps) to 300 mbps. The tentative date assigned for this change is Feb. 1, but there will be more certain details as the date comes closer. “That will probably speed up the WiFi a lot more,” Thomas Lee (10) said. “Now, the Internet doesn’t have to be super slow, because in English the Internet crashes every other day.” Streaming videos or music on websites such as YouTube, Hulu, or Netflix causes problems. “I know that there are teachers here that use YouTube fairly frequently, but there’s a fair amount [of YouTube videos] that I think fall into the ‘cute kitten’ or ‘foolish prank’ category that is being viewed in one of those quiet moments of downtime that we enjoy so much,” Hudkins said. “[It] really would be nice if there was not so much non academic YouTube, because that sucks up a lot of bandwidth.” Upgradingsoftware through the school WiFi connection additionally affects schoolwide connectivity in a negative way
because of the amount of wasted bandwidth. “It comes to a point where I think we’ve all gotten used to having unlimited access and unlimited ability to do everything we need to, but that’s never really the case,” said Diane Main, Assistant Director of Instructional Technology. “We can only have so many users transmitting so many bits at one time. We are accustomed to having what seems unlimited, but we’ve basically pushed it to its limits.” According to Main, parents of students at the Upper School often approach her with concerns regarding whether or not leisure sites should be blocked altogether, both to allay problems with connectivity and to keep students on track during classes. “[When you block sites], it’s almost like forbidden fruit, and people are going to find a way to get to it anyway, which is not behavior we necessarily want to encourage. It’s just about giving people the opportunity to make good choices,” Main said. More changes will soon occur that will expedite the Internet connectivity at the Upper School. As these dates move closer, more information will be available on Harker Aquila.
SHAY LARI-HOSAIN - WINGED POST
elisabeth siegel & emily lin
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