Easy Wi-Fi for SJSU Wireless

A company called Devicescape has created an iPhone application that is really, really cool. It is called Easy Wi-Fi and it works great on our not so easy SJSU wireless network. UPDATE --> This program is also available for Macs and PCs!

What does this program do?
Simple, think about how you have to log onto the campus network. Assuming your computer finds the SJSU wireless network you then have to open your iPhone web browser. Then, you enter in your SJSUOne user name and password user credentials. It is that part that is the pain, because with a hand held device like an iPhone you have to do the two finger zoom thing and then type in your user credentials. That is a real annoyance.

To add to this annoyance if you make a mistake, your log-in session times out, your device goes to sleep and/or you roam to another wireless access point you have to repeat the process. This where Devicescape's Easy Wi-Fi comes in.

This little three dollar iPhone app has settings for tons of wireless networks in the country including SJSU's.

UPDATE --> This program is also available free for Macs and PCs and costs $1.99 for iPhone and iPodtouch! (That is cheap and well worth it. It works great @ SJSU.)

Here is how it works. You enter in your user credentials into the application then it, and not your web browser, logs onto the SJSU wireless network. (Yes, you will have to change your password in Devicescape's Easy Wi-Fi software when you change your SJSUOne password.)

It just works! It makes it look like our wireless network is an open network. It transparently mymicks how a Web browser works and it is very cool. The most publicized use for this product is using it for logging onto ATT Wi-Fi at Starbuck's. This is fine but I am at work a lot more than I am at Starbucks!

This is the first iPhone app I paid money for. They have versions for PC's, and Macs available as well. I have not tested these. UPDATE ---> I have tested it on Macs and it works great!

More is on their Web site. This could make a lot of people at SJSU's lives easier. UPDATE --->This will make a lot of people at SJSU's lives easier.

This is a killer app!!!!

Technorati Tags: iphone, sjsu, San Jose State University, devicescape, Easy Wi-Fi, Apple, ssloansjca

Podcast about Mumbai and Terrorism

SJSU Indian Student, Faculty and Alumnus Discuss Mumbai Attacks
Edupodder Podcast Episode 32
A campus perspective from San Jose State University
On December 3, 2008 San Jose State University student Ruchi Binjola, SJSU History Lecturer Rajiv Khanna and SJSU graduate Kamlesh Kudchadkar discuss the recent bombings in Mumbai, India with SJSU Journalism Lecturer Steve Sloan. Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and is India's financial capital.

The conversation begins with Binjola and Kudchadkar and continues when Khanna joins the conversation. This "open mic" podcast conveys the feelings and thoughts of members of the SJSU community. One of the speakers lost a friend to terrorism in Mumbai. The thoughts and emotions expressed here are just as they occurred in the conversation.

Click button below to subscribe to podcast:

Technorati Tags: San Jose State University, California State University, San Jose, Mumbai, Bombay, Mumbai Podcast, Terrorism, ssloansjca

Five big innovations in next five years

IBM Global Research has just posted about five big innovations they see in our near future:

The third annual "IBM Next Five in Five" is a list of innovations that have the potential to change the way people work, live and play over the next five years...

An effort to provide accessible education to students with disabilities

North Idaho College capture system

Thanks to Bedan Kamau, Sr. Instructional Designer, Learning, Instructional & Information Technology, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona for his e-mail. Kamanu said, "North Idaho College will be implementing a new classroom capture system as part of an effort to provide accessible education to students with disabilities. The college will be using SpeakerBox from ClearSky Systems for the lecture capture program beginning in January 2009." Here is a link to a related article in Campus Technology.

The present of Journalism

Here is a great post on what is happening in journalism today. It is by SJSU Journalism faculty member Cynthia McCune and is not good news for mainstream media:

The bad news for the newspaper industry just keeps coming...

Changing from one paradigm to another is almost always seen as “bad news” by those invested in the old paradigm. It is the classic case of disruptive technologies that present new lower cost and/or more convenient solutions to problems.

The problem is, old solution businesses are often unable to compete because of their heavy investment in resources and values directed to the old solution. Their business model was shaped to answer a question, a question now starting to be answered differently.

Economic adversity just accelerates, by introducing resource scarcity, a process already underway.

Technorati Tags: J-school, Journalism, Newspapers, ssloansjca

Public facing information on SJSU impaction

According to this post on the SJSU Web site:

On Thursday, November 20, 2008, in response to the state's worsening fiscal crisis, the California State University system declared systemwide impaction for the first time in its history.

San José State University must immediately develop and implement a plan to reduce enrollment. Several measures are currently in effect...

Technorati Tags: San Jose State University, California State University, San Jose, ssloansjca

Top iPhone Apps for 2008

According to MobileCrunch;

With most of 2008 and right around 10,000 applications behind them, Apple has released a series of lists outlining which applications scored the most downloads since the App Store’s launch back in July.

Check this out you might find something unexpected!

SJSU student podcast conversation on Mumbai

SJSU has a huge community of Indian students. They are very far from home. They have their own unique perspectives on the recent terrorist attacks in India. Some may like to be able to share their perspectives with friends and family, both here and back home.

I have booked Clark Hall 116 at SJSU on Wednesday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. for an open mike podcast recorded conversation to discuss SJSU student perspectives on the Mumbai attacks.

This is the result of a request by an Indian student to provide an Internet forum for, "inputs on this recent terrorist attack and aftermath."

Of course, the podcast will be put on the Internet. SJSU Journalism students have also been invited. Other interested members of the campus community are also invited.

[More information about the podcast is here]

Technorati Tags: San Jose State University, California State University, San Jose, ssloansjca

Mac's feeling of security may be short lived

According to a recent story on Network World, Apple Macintosh Computers running Mac OS X have been the target of cyber Malcode attacks:

What’s even more interesting is the degree of investment this ("hacker") team has made in OS X malcode. They’ll be making new infections, it seems, for some time to come with that configurable loader.

Adding to the problem is the immunity Macintosh users have felt to viruses and other threats. While Macs are the minority on the Internet they may be soft targets because they are quite often not protected.

IBM see's economic meltdown as an opportunity

According to a recent Factiva:

Believe it or not, the leader of Big Blue is talking about the financial crisis and the prospect of systemic overhaul. As companies around the globe try to get ahead of the economic maelstrom by laying off employees, shuttering factories, and cutting R&D, IBM is headed in another direction. In the face of a meltdown, Palmisano continues, "you can retrench, pull in your horns, protect the balance sheet, and preserve cash. Or you can realize that this is about humanity screaming for change."