Happy New Year!
Hello there, Welcome to 2010!
2010 will be important. How important you ask? Very important! Information Technology is entering every aspect of our existence. Don't believe me? Ask this guy, or maybe this guy, or how about these people?
You've seen it too? Yes, mobile devices are springing up everywhere. Everyone has a mobile device of some sort. Even those who cannot afford a monthly data plan are picking up an iPod Touch for its Wifi capabilities. EVERYONE has a mobile device of some sort!
I could go on and on about Information Technology and how it has changed the way we live our lives and how wireless Internet and mobile devices will allow us to pay our bills, buy goods at the grocery store, take pictures, call our friends, socialize and impart every aspect of our mundane lives on every body from one end of the globe to the other!!! But I won't. I'll stop. I'll take a slight breath, and just talk about what's new!
Perhaps you've heard of a little company by the name of Google. Of course you have! Lately, ok not lately, but recently there had been a lot of talk, rumors mind you, of Google and how they were going to be introducing the GPhone - the iPhone killer!
But over time it seemed like that would never really happen. Sure, there would be a Google branded phone called the G1 by T-Mobile, but that's just not the same, right? Right. Well now it is here. Google introduces the GPhone. Finally! Except that it's not the GPhone, and it's actually named "Nexus One."
IT Club Articles
Since the news of the moment is all about Mobile Phones and Devices, we're going to continue featuring the following article:
CSS for Mobile Devices
Where do I start?
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a simple mechanism for adding style (e.g. fonts, colors, and spacing) to Web documents (http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/).
Mobile devices, such as cell phones and PDA’s, are used by a growing number of consumers to access the Internet. Web sites, laden with multimedia (e.g. images, video, and sound clips), may resolve quickly on a traditional desktop or laptop environment, but may load very slowly when navigated to from a mobile device.
The CSS Mobile Profile 2.0 specification defines a subset of CSS 2.1 that is to be considered a baseline for interoperability between implementations of CSS on mobile devices (http://www.w3.org/TR/css-mobile/). This specification does not create a new profile of CSS incompatible with the complete specification, but instead implements a common subset that is interoperable with the complete specification and also with the constraints implemented for mobile devices.
Suggestions
Most mobile device data plans provide significantly less bandwidth to visitors of your web site. When you couple this with the significant lack of real estate found on a typical mobile device, Apple iPhones have a 3.5'' screen, you need to change the way you think when designing your web site for mobile devices.
IT Club Bonus
Last year we broke out some tips for IT Club members about purchasing books for classes at CVTC. Sure the information was public knowledge, but it seemed like not enough people were taking advantage of that information so we posted it here at the IT Club Web site. Since we liked the idea of passing new information on to IT Club members, we created a new section at the IT Club Web site. Simply titled, "IT Club Bonus", this new section will be used to pass along information we feel IT Club members could benefit from. Tips and info that will save them money, make them more marketable to employers, or provide them with new information about their field of study. So for the Fall Semester here is a short list of useful and free Web sites you MUST VISIT:
- Craigslist - Free classifieds
- Hulu - Watch your favorites. Anytime. For free.
- Pandora Radio - Listen to Free Internet Radio, Find New Music
There you have it, a list of the Web sites you that provide free services. If you think you have a Web site that should be on the list then send us an Email and we'll see what we can do. Who says you can't learn anything by joining the IT Club?
Internship Opportunity
Last year a NEW Local Internship Opportunity grew out of a partnership with the Capable Media, the first Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization Company in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This internship opportunity is a great way for students to learn more about putting the knowledge they have received through their computer programming degree program into real-world practice. Students in this internship program learn how to build functional Web sites for local businesses. Students also learn how to work with others on projects that require meeting goals and deadlines. An internship like this is great on a resume because it highlights the skills you have used to produce quality work in a team setting; this is what employers are looking for.
Students seeking a Computer Programming Degree in Eau Claire are required to complete either the Information Technology Capstone class or a Programmer/Analyst Internship requiring that they perform any of the following job duties: programming business applications, web page design and programming, spreadsheet applications, and database applications. If you are a student enrolled in a local Wisconsin college computer programming degree program and need to complete an internship as part of your degree program then look into Capable Media for an internship opportunity.
IT Club Humor
Humor from xkcd.com!
IT Club Needs
Hey! Graphic Design Gurus! Yes, you! We've been waiting for just the right logo to be submitted for the IT Club Website. If you feel that you are qualified to re-design the Information Technology Club Website then send us an Email. Seriously! Display your skills on the Information Technology Club Website. Submit your designs to the IT Club.
Bookmark or Share!