What Technology Will Define 2014?
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The Best of CES 2014
Nuance’s voice tools are sure to be relevant in 2014 as smartwatches and mobile devices increasingly rely on voice input. It was one of many companies displaying innovative new tech. The Verge’s video library has hands-on clips with many of the exhibitors.
The tech we see at CES is usually at least a few years away from mainstream usability, and much of it gets lost in the rush of excitement surrounding the show. But it’s worth checking out some of the coolest tech unveiled this week, including a Bitcoin ATM, lots of smartwatches, curved TV screens and even some good old-fashioned laptops. A number of keynotes that were given by leaders of tech industry will be touched on some tech that define 2014. Check them all out there.
Inside Higher Ed’s In and Out List
Monitoring athletes on social media is OUT, but monitoring faculty members on social media is IN. This list is sure to provide a few laughs, and it’s a great way to reflect on just how exciting 2013 was. Read it here.
The 10 Most Wired Campuses
It’s nearly impossible to narrow down the 10 most tech-savvy colleges in America, but Unigo has given it a shot. The list might surprise you, but it’s definitely worth checking out:
And we know which ones those are thanks to a ranking of the most wired campuses from our pals at Unigo.
A couple of private colleges in New York state make the list, as do schools from the Claremont Colleges consortium in California. Only one public university made it into the top 10, and that's the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.
Why Google Glass Isn’t Just Another Distraction
Smartphones are the ultimate distraction. The more technology becomes portable, the more it gets in the way of everyday interactions and classroom activities. Will wearable technology make this worse? Or is it possible that bringing tech closer to our bodies will actually help us become more social beings?
Can we instead make devices that encourage in-person, face-to-face communication — while still delivering the data people need, only when they need it? I’ve been making and using wearable computers in my daily life since 1993 and have been a technical lead and manager on Google Glass since its first year in 2010. It may seem like a paradox, but I argue that bringing technology and computing closer to the body can actually improve communication and attention — allowing technology to get further out of the way.
Read Google Glass Lead: How Wearing Tech on Our Bodies Actually Helps It Get Out of Our Way, by Georgia Tech’s Thad Starner, on Wired.
The Best of EdTech
Last but not least, here are the best EdTech posts this week:
