Media Convergence Initiative

Oculus Rift – The Future of Headset VR, Finally Gets a Release Date and A Price

Posted on February 5, 2016 by theblacklink

It has been nearly four years in the making but the consumer model of the Oculus Rift is soon to be released. The product is currently available for pre-order now and will ship to some of the platforms earliest backers from March 28th, 2016 onwards.

Having first appeared on Kickstarter in August 2012, the now Facebook-owned Oculus has been through quite a few development and prototype virtual reality headsets on its way to a full consumer ready release, and the products final incarnation was revealed in the Summer of 2015. Along with that revelation came a final price tag on the device: $599 USD. This in particular has been the source for quite a bit on consternation around the VR community, as the CEO of Oculus was quoted as recently as August 2015 stating that the Oculus’ end price would be “…in the ballpark” of around only $350 USD, a far cry from the final retail price consumers will be paying. Despite these issues, Oculus is set to be the first, real consumer-grade option for full, headset based virtual reality software, allowing end users to experience games, movies, events, and much more in a simulated environment.

Along with the large price for the headset and some included goodies (such as an Xbox One Elite controller), some customers might have to shell out even more to ensure they can actually run the Rift itself. Oculus has openly stated for a long time that to get the right experience with its consumer headset, you will need a beefy PC rig. It released the recommended specifications recently and while they may shock some, the requirements themselves really aren’t surprising.

To get the full Oculus Rift experience, it requires at minimum the following:

Windows 7 SP1 64-bit or newer
Nvidia GTX 970 or AMD R9 290 graphics card
Intel i5-4590 processor
8GB RAM
HDMI 1.3 video out
Three USB 3.0 ports and one USB 2.0 port

You can actually find out if your PC is fully compatible through a small piece of software that checks your computers specs and gives you the thumbs up or thumbs down. It can be downloaded from Oculus’ own website at oculus.com.

High price or no, the Oculus is set to introduce the world to VR in a big way, and hopefully as the technology becomes more and more mainstream, rival VR companies will continue to innovate and lower the overall price cost of entry.

Posted in Science and Technology | Comments Off

Reviewing the Harsh Truth Portrayed in The Documentary ‘Miss Representation’ About Women’s Inequality

Posted on February 1, 2016 by jesusalberto2120

At the beginning when I was watching the first few minutes of the films, I was going yes for every statement they were making about how we as a younger society spent around 10 hours a day in some aspect of the media, whether it be watching TV, a movie, being in a computer, social media, that really hit me because I don’t really count the hours I spent on my phone but after seeing that it made me think that if those statistic are just on a average person, I could easily be wasting more time than that and it’s not healthy like they say because at least for me I believe anything I see or hear from the media, I want to dress like the celebrities do, I want to purchase the latest lipstick a Kardashian was wearing just because it looks so good on them, and I think to myself if they can look that amazing, why can’t I?

But I shouldn’t be worrying about materialist stuff like because those types of people like celebrities have an entire team that comes over to their house every single morning to glam them up and go on their day as if was normal to have someone do your make-up everyday. To me that’s just exhausting but young ladies see that and actually believe that they do that themselves, so they could achieve it too if they wanted too when it fact is impossible because of course those celebrities post pictures all the type with their fresh looking make-up, badass outfit, gorgeous hair to show that their lives are amazing because they look so great but no they have to spend at least 3 hours to get that. This is definitely part of the cognitive structure that we have already in our minds; we think we know everything about someone just by looking how they dress, like how they carry themselves speaks a lot about how they must be. So it affects the people that are around them the type of judgment they will have even before really getting to know them.

Posted in Audio/Video, Business, Entertainment, General, Odd News | Tagged Inequality, Reality, Standards, women | Comments Off

Doctor Who Attacked Uber Driver Fears For Her Career

Posted on February 1, 2016 by dgantea

A doctor who attacked her Uber driver after a night out in Miami last week fears for her job and reputation after the video went viral. Dr. Anjali Ramkissoon said the fight began between her and another woman with a similar name when the Uber arrived. She claims that the driver said the ride was for “Angie” and she thought that he had mispronounced her name. She then began to scream at the driver calling him profane names and attempted to beat him as he held her fists. The doctor says that her and her boyfriend had just broken up that night and she had too much to drink.

Ramkissoon was placed on leave after the video was released and says her behavior was “humiliating and embarrassing and shameful.” The Uber driver chose not to press charges against the 30 year old doctor, leaving Ramkissoon very thankful and apologetic. She also says that she is terrified of losing her job because she has worked so hard to get to where she is today.

This situation should be a lesson to everyone about how powerful social media really is. She was out for a night and had a little too much to drink, and ended up making choices that she usually would not and a simple phone recorded video showed her mistakes to the world. Whether you are a college student trying to get a job, or a doctor working towards a higher career, social media can ruin your life in an instant. Watching what you post on social media is important, but what other people post of or about you can hurt you just as bad, if not worse. I think most people focus on stressing the importance of this to the younger generation, but this story proves that social media can impact your career no matter how old you are.

Posted in Entertainment | Comments Off

“The Witness” and How it Proves Good Products Trump Piracy

Posted on January 31, 2016 by kayleighladerman

“The Witness” is a video game that was released for PC and PS4 on January 26th, 2016 to amazing sales numbers. The product was released and created by Jonathan Blow and his production company Thekla Inc, most well known for the video game “Braid” that released on the Xbox 360 in August 2008, and went on to become the systems most purchased online-only video game, so it is no surprise that “The Witness” is seeing a large amount of fanfare surrounding it’s release.

However, this is not simply about hoe successful the game is or will go on to be. This is actually about the matter of “Internet Piracy”, the system by which people go on to popular websites and download their favorite media for free under the watch of programs like uTorrent or BitTorrent, which are used to filter p2p networks and connect all multiple networks to form one singular torrent. This is what many in the movie and video game industry call a plague, and is partly responsible for the death of traditional, physical media as we know it and the introduction of fully digital products that we can’t hold with our hands. As of now, despite it’s apparent popularity, “The Witness” sits incredibly low on lists of top torrents, and is seeing a daily spot on the front page of the platform on which it is sold, Steam, almost every single day since it was released.

“But, good games get pirated!” many of those who oppose piracy would say. “I made a good game, and it got pirated, what happened” the corporations like Ubisoft and EA say. They then go on to blame poor sales numbers on rampant piracy, instead of looking at their own games through a critical light. While yes, it is true that genuinely good games have been affected by piracy, that is often because those games are made by corporations and high-end publishers like Bethesda or Zenimax or Rockstar. The WItness is a love affair – Jonathan Blow poured his life into making this game for years, and it shows with the level of detail and straightforwardness in the final product. It is obvious that The Witness is a work of love simply from the outset – not being published by a large corporation, not adhering to the usual standards of big-budget games as the game has no combat or guns of any sort, and the introspective “The Witness” has on itself, constantly spouting quotes from famous philosophers and scientists positing the reason for our existence and where it may take us. It is similar to a game released earlier this year, “The Talos Principle”, and both of those games saw huge sales and minimal piracy.

Good games can beat piracy – it simply depends on whether it is obvious to the pirate whether that work has had love crafted into it, or is simply a regurgitation of models of gaming that are far too familiar at this point in the industry’s life.

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Mattel Announces that Barbie Dolls will now be Available in Petite, Curvy, and Tall Sizes

Posted on January 31, 2016 by brookeadams91

After being around for 57 years, Mattel has decided that it is finally time to diversify the iconic Barbie doll even further. On Thursday, Mattel announced that the dolls will be available in petite, curvy, and tall sizes.

This is pretty big news, especially since researchers said that the traditional thin and blonde dolls had a psychological impact on the young girls who play with them and see them. Body image and body shaming have been two heavily talked-about topics, mostly due to the rise of social media platforms like Instagram.

This change from Mattel is a message to children and young adults that we live in a diverse world where beauty has several forms. Researchers have realized that even though Barbie is not a real person, she has often been considered a role model for young girls. Now that Barbie will come in different shapes and sizes, her role of role model will make a better and more positive impact.

This is not the first attempt Mattel has made at diversifying the Barbie doll. Last year, Mattel created the “Fashionista” Barbie line. This line features over 20 dolls that have different complexions, facial structures, hair colors, hairstyles, and eye colors. The “Fashionista” line has been a huge success and Mattel hopes the new body types will be a success as well.

I think this is a pretty big accomplishment for Mattel. I played with Barbie dolls when I was a child, however, I never saw Barbie as a role model or the ideal body image. I simply saw Barbie as a toy for the most part. The only negative impact Barbie dolls had on me was that it gave me the idea that lighter complexions were better than darker complexions. This was mostly due to the fact that the commercials would put the dolls with the lighter complexions in the front and would not always feature the dolls with darker complexions.

Luckily for me, I stopped thinking this within a matter of a couple of months after my parents had a talk with me sister and I. I think it is important for parents to talk to their children about these topics because they have a bigger influence over their children than any inanimate object.

Posted in General, Health, Odd News | Tagged Barbie dolls, body image | Comments Off

Snedeker finishes one of his best rounds ever as Officials say conditions are unplayable

Posted on January 31, 2016 by College of Sciences

Brandt Snedeker hardly has a hard time shooting three under on a regular basis on the PGA tour. But numbers aren’t everything, as seen with the three under round put up by Snedeker today. He described it as a round that would be hard to recreate, as well as one of his best rounds ever. The catch? Conditions at Torrey Pines San Diego were deemed “unplayable” for the third time in the final round Sunday shortly after Snedeker and many others finished. The Course which holds holes along the Pacific boasted 25mph winds today along with gusts around 40 mph.

To put things in perspective, of the 23 players that finished their round, only one person shot par or better. That just happened to be Snedeker today, fighting through the wind to not only avoid bogeys but also manage a few birdies. “I don’t know how I did it” said Snedeker after his round. He hasn’t won the tournament yet though; the final group of today of Jimmy Walker, KJ Choi and Brown weren’t able to finish. Walker sits atop the leaderboard, with Choi sitting at six under tied with Snedeker.

Brown has been impressive as well with 17 birdies on the weekend, but hasn’t been able to keep the bogeys at bay. There is still a lot of golf to be played, so we will see if Snedeker’s impressive performance today will pay off, or if one of the players in the remaining field can take advantage Monday. The winner, to be determined tomorrow will collect a 6,500,000 dollar purse.

Posted in Entertainment, General, Sports | Tagged Golf, Sports, update | Comments Off

The Most Controversial Show on TV Returns

Posted on January 31, 2016 by shane sackett

Considered to be the most controversial show on television, “Friday Night Tykes” is back and ready for another action packed season. “Friday Night Tykes” is a reality show in its third season that takes a hard look into the competitive Texas Youth Football Association (TYFA). The show primarily follows a youth team consisting of players who range in age from 10-11 years old. Parents and coaches devote hours of their time and will stop at nothing in hopes of their kid(s) winning the football state championship.

The controversy revolves around the question of whether the show brings up important and serious questions about parenting and safety in youth sports, or does it glorify a culture of violent competitiveness.

Over the past two seasons it has been the San Antonio Outlaws running the show, with their hard hitting and zero mistakes mentality which has lead them to back-to-back state championship seasons. In this third season, new comers like the San Antonio Predators, who promote aggressive hard-hitting football, and practice every single day and the Yoakum Outlawz, who follow a completely different approach practicing only one day a week to avoid overexertion are coming to TYFA. Both teams truly believe that their youth program is preparing their players for the rest of their lives.

With the introduction of the San Antonio Predators and the Yoakum Outlawz and their completely opposite philosophy in coaching youth football, poses one question, who will come out on top? Tune in Tuesday at 9pm to watch “Friday Night Tykes” on Esquire network.

Posted in Entertainment, Sports | Comments Off

The Evolution of the Internet and Technology Is a Convenience for Users

Posted on January 31, 2016 by jsantana0410

The Internet has become a crucial part of today’s day-to-day life. With already more devices to connect to the Internet than residents, the United States is a great example of a nation well adapted to the ever-evolving world of technology. Although the Internet has not always been this popular, its development is one always advancing as it has throughout the years making our life more comfortable.

The Internet started in 1969 and its network grew from 62 computers in 1974 to 28,000 computers in 1987. During this time, it was only text. There was no video, graphics or sound.

The early 1990s brought to us the World Wide Web, which allowed multimedia available on the Internet. By 2012, 2.4 billion people worldwide were using the Internet, and North American users held 11.4 percent.

Today, the Internet is at work, school and basically at most places we frequent. We bring it with us through our electronic devices, as today it allows us to receive a limitless amount of information at the pace we desire.

Now we also have smartphones, iPads or tablets, laptops and many more devices than ever before to get access to the Internet. This development in technology has benefited the lives of its users in many ways.

Currently, no matter how far from loved ones one may be, one can video-call and match the call with a visual of the person we are connecting to. Online education, communication, payments, accounts and shopping are all facilitated because of the development of the Internet, allowing us to get more done from the comfort of home or the office as long as there is a device to get connected.

With all the comfort and access the developments of technology and the Internet have to offer, it is no wonder users keep adapting to this evolution and await future advances.

Posted in Education, Entertainment, General | Comments Off

‘A Girl In The River’ Documentary Calls Attention to Honor Killings & Women Oppression

Posted on January 31, 2016 by cevans37

A 19-year old Pakastanian woman stars in an Oscar-nominated documentary about her survival story. Saba Qaiser fell in love with her boyfriend and ran away to get married against her family’s wishes. Hours after they married, her uncle and father swayed her away, beat her, and attempted to kill her. They put her body in a sack and sent it down the river after her own father shot her in the head, thinking he killed her. However, Saba was just unconscious because the bullet went into her face so she was able to be revived, crawl to land, and call for help. Today, her story has gained a great deal of popularity as it has become very impactful on people and incites curiosity and concerns about women oppression all over the world.

‘Honor killings’ are committed with the intent to save a family name and honor. Sadly, it is widespread among foreign cultures, especially Muslim countries, because there are laws that permit or forgive a killing. To be precise, it is so common that they occur about every 90 minutes. Against the odds, her father and uncle were arrested but pressures of cultural traditions won over Saba so she forgave them and they were able to be released from prison.

I am open-minded to the fact that there are a variety of cultures, traditions, and social norms that are completely different from the American way of living, or even my familial experience. But I am absolutely taken back by how Pakistani law condones these murders on women or men, under man’s value of honor. In any country, I feel that one universal role of the government should be to protect their home and people, and gender should not be a contingent factor either. Unfortunately, women oppression exists even in the most democratic of nations; the United States government stepped in to reshape Afghanistan and Pakistan by investing in resources they found they would benefit from but weren’t nearly as invested as needed in the areas of women’s rights and equality. Stories like Saba’s reflect a tremendous form of courage to raise a red flag about the issue. I’m glad she was able to share this with the world and I hope the impression that is left influences their legal system to make a change.

Posted in World News | Comments Off

The virus that no one knows about. . . . Yet.

Posted on January 31, 2016 by v.king

he Zika virus many us really don’t know of the virus because it hasn’t hit us on the U.S. soil yet but its becoming the new next big virus since the yellow fever. It’s passed mostly by aeded mosquito. There is no cure or vaccine for the virus the only real way to not contract it is by avoiding the places where the virus is dormant at. Places like South America, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, etc. no news has hit us yet about this because no U.S. States have been affected. It’s almost sad how you have too look for this type of news to actually be aware of it. The reason concern is starting to grow about the virus is because Brazil has been reporting cases where babies are being born with abnormally small heads, death happing, and developmental issues. These issues all related to the Zika Virus and most of the countries are brushing it off as if it was nothing until now. The big concern from Brazil has woken us up and we are now starting to worry about it. Athletes are starting to boycott and say they will not take part in the Olympics in Brazil if the matter is not attend to. We need to come together with other nations and start to find a vaccine or a method to control this virus. This is something that’s going to hit the U.S.A sooner or later and when it does we need to be prepare to contain it or as a species be ready to start counting the casualties from it.

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