The Tablet Takeover

Post image for The Tablet Takeover

by Ryan Munns on January 26, 2012

Over the past few years, advances in technology has lead to more and more people buying a tablet computers. Tablets, such as the iPad, have raised the bar for mobile devices. Even though they have come a long way in the last few years, some people still prefer laptops. My question is: How long until these tablets surpass laptops as a student’s first choice?

Bring It Where You Go

One thing I cannot argue about when it comes to tablets is they are very convenient for traveling purposes. Here on campus, a lot of students have began using iPads to take class notes with (or just slack off and browse Facebook…) and they’re becoming a lot more popular than they were last semester. If you’re walking around all day, lightweight tablets are a nice change from the usual bulky laptops. Still, laptops have become a lot smaller recently, which helps narrow the gap in the portability case.

Is The Time Now?

Tablet computers are made slim and small which may give off the false idea that it is not as powerful as a laptop. The three standard options for storage capacity are 16, 32, and 64 GB of memory. While that’s not as much as most laptops have, it’s still enough for a student to do everything he or she needs to do for school. Tablets support amazingly helpful academic apps such as Evernote (a note-taking app) and Pages (one of the many tablet office suites).

One problem I thought of immediately when I envisioned using the iPad as my main essay-writing source is the keyboard. If you’ve ever typed using a touch screen keyboard, you know it’s not for everybody. I like the idea of typing with just your hands and being able to control things with your fingers but if you needed to write a five page essay, the touch keyboard may prove to be inconvenient. Luckily, some of the more popular tablets (such as the iPad and the Samsung Galaxy) have keyboard docks you can buy that attaches and allows you to type using the keyboard just as you would with a laptop.

All things considered, tablets are light and portable yet still powerful enough to take notes, play videos, download PDF files and create long essays for class They clearly have an edge going up against the soon-to-be “old school” laptops and it will definitely be interesting to see if this tech fad keeps up.

Do you prefer laptops or tablets? Do you think BSU will ever require students to have tablets similar to how they require all students to have laptops?

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The RCC’s new “gaming lounge” is just one of the new additions to our campus this semester… although its not so much a lounge, as it is a station (since it doesn’t have it’s own room or anything…).  This campus newbie is located in the lower foyer of the RCC. It contains an Xbox 360 and a PS3 complete with TVs to play them on. So is this new edition a fun part of campus or a funny looking disruption?

Concept/Selection

I think a gaming lounge is a really good idea. As a school made up of more commuters than residents, BSU needs more spaces like this for commuters to hang between classes.  Even if video games aren’t really your thing, it can act as an activity to help people (commuters and residents alike) get to know each other… while killing each other on screen, but don’t worry- the selection of games isn’t just shooter-based; its pretty broad. It includes games like Dance Central, Kinect Adventures, and sport games for non-gamers who just want to have fun.

Location

Now I’m not sure if the lower foyer of the RCC is the best location for the new gaming station. It’s definitely a good spot for it to get noticed, but what about the other people in the foyer not gaming? It’s not like the library or anything, but some people do go there to get work done or read. The gaming station could be a distraction for them and if a lot of people are around the station playing and watching games, that’s going to dominate an already busy area of campus.

Future

While the lower foyer is a good temporary location, I’d like to see the game station move to a more permanent spot- ideally, it’s own room. As I’m sure many of you know from recent trips the registrar’s office (and the long lines around it…), it is now in a temporary room in the RCC. What a lot of people don’t know is that room used to be the old gaming room, complete with pool tables, ping pong tables, and dartboards. Once the registrar moves into its new office, perhaps they could put a new gameroom together complete with both old AND new school games.

So what do you think of the new lounge? How’s the location/selection? Will you be playing it? Is it a positive addition to the campus?

 

found an image on RCC’s facebook of the gaming lounge just not sure how to translate into word press

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Most New Englanders are used to the constant flurries and welcome it with open arms in hopes of a snow day. For others, snow has become old news and we have witnessed one too many snow storms for it to remain enjoyable.  I, personally, would have to side with the latter.  Sure, snow is pretty from afar- but the fact is snow makes everything more difficult. Driving to school, walking to class, having to clean off the layers from your windshield… for me, it’s a lot more work than it is play. The snow may be late, but let’s be serious- it wouldn’t be New England without crazy weather. The snow will come sooner or later. Here are the pro’s and con’s to this seemingly snowless winter!

(Update: It finally came! Who would’ve thought?)

PRO: Sure Makes the Commute Easier

There is nothing worse than looking outside, seeing snow and realizing that you still need to muster up the energy to walk/drive to school. If winter break has to be over, the traveling it takes to get to school should at least be feasible. No snow on the roads definitely makes the travels to school a little more bearable (not to mention, safer).

CON: No Snow = No snow days

As much as I loathe snowy weather, there’s nothing better in the winter then snuggling up in a warm house, watching a movie marathon, and enjoying a snow day. Toss in some hot chocolate, a good book, and I’d be content with a week of snow days.

PRO- Events Made Easier

The trouble with snow is that it makes everything more stressful. I love the Bruins. I saw a game a few weeks ago, and although it was freezing out, it made the car ride, train ride, and walk to the Garden a little bit easier without snow flurries and weather-caused traffic jams along the way. Sporting events, concerts, and traveling in general aren’t being plagued by snow storms like they have in recent years.

CON-Winter Sport Troubles

Unfortunately, without the snow, it makes some winter sports a little more difficult. Everyone needs to travel up north for skiing and snowboarding. Things like sledding in town or ice skating are certainly made impossible without the white stuff on the ground or cold temperatures to freeze the ice.

PRO- Shovel Free

No one likes shoveling large masses of snow. Even if you are one of the lucky ones, with a snow blower- it’s still no easy task. No snow means enjoying a little extra sleep in the mornings and less time out in the frigid cold clearing off your windshield. Enjoy that while it lasts!

CON-No Plowing

New England is known for our snowy winters. Many of your neighbors and friends probably own snow plows and plan on making money plowing out driveways and streets. Without snow, it’s just further messing with the economy and the lack of funds going to citizens. Maybe it isn’t making a huge different on a large scale, but certainly town to town people depend on that.

 

How do you feel about the snowless winter? Do you want the snow to come soon? Do you miss not having weekly snowstorms? Are you content not having any snow?

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