Social Networking Damaging to Kids’ Brains?

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cell Phones, Internet, Science

Baroness Susan Greenfield, an Oxford University neuroscientist, claims that social network sites may be creating a self-centered generation with a short attention span. She also says that they may be damaging to teens’ brains.

She said, “As a consequence, the mid-21st century mind might almost be infantilized, characterized by short attention spans, sensationalism, inability to empathize and a shaky sense of identity.”

However, one study claims that using text abbreviations could boost literacy skills since kids between the ages of 10 to 12 who texted were found to be the best readers. We wonder how many of those kids use the same language in their book reports.

Read More | Daily Mail

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Name that Tune with MusicMarker

Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, USB, Music

We’ve all been in some humongous Virgin Megastore-type place, and heard a great song booming on the sound system that you’ve just got to know the name of. You race around asking the clerks, who give you that blank “huh” stare, or worse, send you on a wild goose chase to other clueless clerks This must have happened to the inventor of the MusicMarker, a handheld device that records a snippet of that elusive tune. Then, once hooked up to your computer via USB, teams up with the internet to identify the artist and song. It even leads you to where you can purchase your new favorite tune. Available for $20 USD.

Read More | My Virtual Zone

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Are “Geek Squad” Agents Stealing From Your Computer?

Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: PC / Laptop

We love the folks over at The Consumerist,  a website devoted to letting disgruntled shoppers stick it to The Man. Now they’ve gone all “Dateline/Primetime Live” on us, conducting an undercover 3-month sting operation. Their mission? To see if a Best Buy Geek Squad Agent would stoop so low as to steal porn, music, etc. off of a customer’s PC brought in for repair. The sting was in response to rumors that this happened to actual customers in numerous cities. To create bait, a computer was loaded with porn—and rigged to film any wrongdoings as they actually happened. While most of the Geek Squad-ers presented with the porn-laded PC passed the test,  one dishonest techie failed miserably, filmed stealing pornography and transferring it to his company-issued thumb drive. Rumor has it there is even a Geek Squad “central server”, where the Agents share their illicit booty (no pun intended). Click here to view video of the actual theft, and to learn how to protect your files when bringing your computer in to be fixed. Because you know if the Geek Squad is doing it, your neighborhood repair shop could be too.

Read More | The Consumerist

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