The power of connectivity 2020

The power of the internet is monumentally impressive. Just look what can be achieved in one minute. Big data and data analytics will be playing a significant role. Why wouldn’t they? The Internet of Things has grown enormously over the last few years along with artificial intelligence. Are we making the most of it? Doesn’t it look like we have an awe inspiring capacity to connect, consume and engage through the ether? Doesn’t it look like there is so much processing power there in terms of social connection, ideas sharing and participation to solve all our world’s problems? Is this vast array of internet use just about income or could it be used for outcome too? Use all that power to conceive  the world differently?

 

Look good on a webcam

 

Yes, some of us need to do better. No shame in that. We have been thrown into working from home, video calls, increased use of socialising over the ether because social distancing and social isolation is saving lives and jobs as we stay safe at home.

There are simple things we can do to improve our visual look on a webcam.

makeuseof  has 13 ideas to help you improve your webcam look. You need a decent camera. You need plenty of ram because it is video and if you are talking and trying to open files and do web searches then you need even more ram. Tablets and phones will often manage video calls better than a laptop or desktop but that is if you are just talking and it can be limiting on a mobile device because you can’t easily do other things. Rehearse. Run your webcam and talk to yourself and open and close files to see if it interferes or slows down your computer.

Caleb Wojcik in the video explains things clearly, quickly and well. There is no nonsense. It is all good information and help. I like his plain background. Think of the backgrounds you have seen in webcams and don’t like. Think of the looks you don’t like. I don’t like people peering down the camera, am over the interminable bookcases and don’t especially like looking up people’s nostrils. Don’t do what you don’t like . Don’t overly worry, either. The more you video chat the better you will be.

 

Make a gif using giphy

Steve Wilhite invented gifs and he said they are called gifs…jifs. Soft g. I am never going to be able to do that…gift, gizmo, gill. That pronunciation problem aside, gifs are even more popular than before. They are an effective form of visual communication which fits a purpose. They can be custom made using a site like giphy.com. You can use Photoshop too, but not everyone has Photoshop. Professor Nick Carbonaro walks you through the giphy site to give you an idea how it works.
YouTube has videos for Photoshop. There are apps like ImgPlay which make gifs too. When it comes to image software , everyone has their own way of doing it and device plays a role in what software you will access and prefer, hence just pointing you in the right direction if you, too, want to have fun with gifs.

Training your brain in lockdown

University of Melbourne has put together some excellent advice for keeping alert and active during lockdown: how to train your brain during lockdown so you cope with the new set of circumstances and continue to thrive. The information is set out clearly.

You do need brain exercises, social contact and a way of staying solutions oriented. As I wrote the other day, technology is helping us significantly to create avenues for ourselves and others so we can keep moving in a positive direction no matter what the challenges.

We have been mastering web conferencing. We have been getting better at visual communication. Our reluctance to video call has been abandoned because it is hard not actually seeing anyone so it’s good to see them on video calls. We are all wearing our at home wear and our longer hair. We are more concerned we can see and talk to someone than we are about that picture in the background. It is making us real. Some people are getting together on web conferencing apps to do amazing things like the French orchestra who made Bolero for us all. Researchers can work together globally. People can use their languages skills to translate information so it can be quickly circulated. We are not perfect but we are rising to the challenges. Apps are being developed which will help us, 3D printers which were idle have been put to good use to make masks and face protection.

Training our brains is vital. We need to get through this and we can do it by sharing our knowledge. Technology lets us do that from home. Who would have thought we’d run the world from the settee? Big shout out to the teachers, students and parents running school from home and for @EduTweetOz and others for letting us know the successes of this . We are all pioneers.

Making videos on your phone

The world is making big demands in terms of technology. One of those demands is we help each other navigate the things we need to be able to do because we are staying at home, in quarantine, working from home or in isolation because we want to stay safe and keep others safe. When it comes to technology we cannot know everything, we can’t do everything and we can’t feel bad because we don’t know. I have been helping others who contact me achieve their learning aims in terms of technology. Others have helped me. We are all fantastic when we hold hands across the ether.

One of the things people are needing to do is make videos . They need to for work purposes and they need to because it is a way of helping or entertaining others. These videos keep us productive , focused and sane. It is a weird world out there. I am sharing this video by Think Media because it is a four part series which goes through all the basics and allows you to understand how to use your phone better for videos. Tips from this will help you get better value out of a mobile device which you always have. Not everyone has video and sound equipment. Most people have a smartphone. They can cost a lot. Learn to get the best value out of them. By the end of these four videos you will feel much better and more confident in making videos. Take a tip from Think Media and just relax and enjoy what you are doing.