Tag: technology

Categories
Family

Our New TV

Yesterday our new TV arrived. We were all very excited. It arrived in a very very BIG box. I am sure it was not that big? Did I just forget what the size actually was? I’m sure it is just the box and it has padding. The HUGE box worried me. I was not sure we could fit it in the room.

Our old TV died a long time ago and before it finally gave up its last show it was flickering and just not looking well.

When it finally went to black we had to have a replacement. We used one of my computer monitors. Yes we went from a HUGE screen to a tiny one. Hubby and I took it carefully out of the box and thank goodness, it is smaller than the box!

We finally have a new television. Now we need to figure out how to work it.
We finally have a new television. Now we need to figure out how to work it.

Well it would not have been tiny when I was a kid, it would have been huge, however since we were all used to something enormous it was weird to suddenly have a smaller screen. The kids were shocked when we produced the monitor for a stand in until we replaced the television. I could not understand why they were so upset, but then I figured it out. They had never known a smaller screen.

Now we have the reverse happening. The new telly is 3 inches bigger than the old one. We have decided to rearrange the living room a bit for a change and to create more space. Now every time I walk past and see the TV it is MASSIVE! JUST HUGE! It will take me some time to get used to it.

Has this happened to you?

When we purchased the TV we went to look at all different makes and models. There was one that was GIGANTIC! It would have taken an entire wall to put it on. To have this telly you would have to have a very big house as well. We got one that was still big but not something we cannot fit in our house.

Plus the GIGANTIC telly cost nearly $12,000 so that is not the price we wanted to spend on a television.

I am very happy that we finally have a new TV but since it is new we have not figured out all whiz bang things that it comes with.  It will take us some time to learn what buttons to press, and what to do with it. I managed to watch Clarke and Dawe and Portlandia on ABC’s iView today so that is something.

Before I pick kids up from school I need to get some cables that will hopefully allow me to watch free to air television again. I have not been able to watch regular telly for a long while now. It stopped working and we think it might have had something to so with the old telly not working and communicating with the aerial. I hope this is the case. If not it is an aerial issue. Hubby did look on the roof and thinks all looks good.

Fingers crossed that the magic cables I buy make the television all work.

 

Categories
News

Is Technology Making Us Smarter?

According to a story on news.com.au by Jackie Sinnerton, technology is making us smarter. This is apparently due to being exposed to more information and a wider vocabulary. I do agree the more things you are exposed to the greater chance you have of learning more and absorbing the information, this is especially so for little kids who have been described as sponges due to the fact that they soak up everything around them.

I do question the person or family that cannot afford all the gadgets and technology and doing things the old fashioned way. Reading books, exposing their child/children to the same things but not via a computer tablet, or an iPhone (note, I have the series 4). I do agree if you can afford the technology all the better, however it is expensive to make sure that you have what your kid needs in this technology age. We would love to give the kids an iPad each, but we are not made of money. It does not need to be an iPad, it could be a Google Nexus each or something similar. Maybe the Microsoft Surface (release date for 26th Oct 2012 – not sure what the cost of this product is as yet, waiting to see) when it comes out. We are not picky but it really all does come down to money. We cannot purchase one we will need to get two, so every cost is doubled.

In this age of technology it is a must to expose your child/children to computers and any technology that will help them with their future and of course school work. No computer skills will be a negative in the future, everything is computer driven and related. I must say that the iPhone that I was lucky to get for my birthday this year was very easy to use and with no lessons the twins are using it like masters.

My girls have done most things early, but not sure if that is a sign of genius or just smart little girls. I do know they have been told they are advanced in some areas, but also in some areas they need to do more. So in regards to advancement who knows really. In the news.com.au article there is a link to a Mensa Test. I never do well at intelligence tests, not that I am dumb but my brain does not do well with these type of questions. I like more creative things, I tend to find that I lean towards to the arts more than the maths and sciences. Maybe this is why I don’t do well with an intelligence test.

Why not test your smarts and take the Mensa Mini Quiz, answers are listed as well just in case you want to know if you are getting it right. Not everyone can be geniuses or have a high IQ. I do think my kids are smart but it does not bother me as long as they are happy. When they are older the girls find something they like to do, and manage to make a living out. You can only wish for happiness and that they do well. If they are clever at some subjects or certain areas, I do hope the school sees this and pushes them to do more, although hard to know until they are in school as they are still in pre-school. Why is it everyone has to have advanced clever kids, why can’t they just be average? I know it is more interesting if they are smart and excel and everything, however many successful people were average and have done very well.

Many kids that are very smart give up trying as they think it all comes naturally to them. When they go to a selective school with all smart kids they find it hard to keep up as they are now not the smartest person in the room.  This is a big shock to some kids. The average student tends to try harder and achieves while some over achievers and high IQ kids don’t want to pursue a career as a doctor, lawyer or politician and some decide the pressure is too much. I have seen this happen.  While this is just some things that I have witnessed and is not indication for all, so don’t think that average is bad, it sometimes can make you try harder and do very well at life.

Do you think we are getting smarter? Is it due to more information or that parents are teaching more things to their children and in turn the kids are learning more? As a stay at home mother I find that the kids benefit by me being here and teaching them, but vice versa, if I was working they would be learning things at care and also to pre-school so maybe it is much of a muchness. Send in your comments, and why not continue the discussion on our twitter or facebook pages.

Categories
3 years and beyond

Technology

Julia's home built computer
Julia’s home built computer
Julia's computer
Julia’s computer

For a while now the girls have been building make shift computers out of an old keyboard, mouse and a puzzle for a screen. Julia has built it again today, and you will see how clever it looks in the pictures.

It makes me think the girls are saying they want a computer. I would love to get them a tablet, like an iPad to learn, however it is the cost that is associated with these products. We would need to get two as sharing with that type of thing is not an option.

Maybe the new Microsoft Surface will be more affordable to purchase, and this will have to wait until we have money. Microsoft has not listed the costs of the new surface computer yet, should be available in October.

If Apple or Microsoft want to give away any iPad or Surface tablets we are happy to receive them, we can be the testing ground for them. I know this will never happen, but you don’t know… I can only dream.

 

The girls have figured out how to play, stop, pause shows with the television remote control. If they need to go to the bathroom, they pause what they are watching, come back and press play. Very clever indeed.

I wonder what other equipment or devices Julia or Lillian will build?  As you will see the computer even has a rest place for your feet, very convenient.  Do your kids build things that look like the real things? If so what have they created? Send in your comments and stories.