Hardwired

Going Beyond

The Controllers Game Over

0101

Where It All Starts | Fall 2011

Hello Readers:

Letter From the Editors

We, the Hardwired Administration, would like to address some of our thoughts toward you. First of all, thank you for buying this issue of Hardwired magazine. We are sure that once you set your eyes on the first story, you will be glued and it will certainly be worth your while. As you know, this is the 2011 Fall edition of Hardwired, be sure to subscribe to get the next edition as well. There will be plently more ming-boggling stories that will certainly blow your mind away. Second of all, we at Hardwired, work hard everyday to deliver the content you love the most. So please go to our website and send us feedback. Anything is appreciated, the more feedback we get, the more prosperous Hardwired will become. Remember to reccommend us to your friends as well and last but not least, have fun reading!

Sincerely, Hardwired Administration Image From: Geek.com

What to look for: 2-4 5-9

10-17

First Hand Info: Table of Contents + Biographies

Opinion Peices: A New Trek With Tech Game Over The Controllers

Features: Working with Robots How to Survive the Growing Tech Industry The Story Behind Gamestop

19-21 Extras: Game Review: Okami XBox vs. PS3 Iphone vs. Samsung

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About the Staff Imran is new to the magnet program and so far is liking it. He is very interested in engineering and the concept of technology. Imran wants to pursue his career in his passion and hopes he reach what he’s aiming for. With a positive attitute every day, he is ready to strike any obstacle that prevent him from reaching his success!

Shelby is a fun loving, video game playing, crazy person. Her love of technology comes from her love of medical science and aims to be a nuclear medical technologist. Although human anatomy freaks her out she’ll have to learn as much about it and about technical science as she can.

Matthew is interested in cars, photography, and most small gadgets. He does his best in school and wants to become and is not quite sure what he wants to do when he grows up but it will probsbly be something in the tech industry.

images provided by hardwired staff

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HardWired 5

A New Trek with Tech

“T

echnology in all of its forms -- social networks, smart phones, the Web, instant messaging, online gaming -- is a net loss for today’s young people”, says Michael Melone, an American author and columnist of ABC News. People like him believe that the fear of technology and the potential of it taking over the human race for the worse exist on this planet. Many deny the fact that the future is technology and rather accept the fact that technology is causing us to become more dependent on it which, will lead to our own downfall. Their reasons vary from technology being a major factor as a time-waster to being the cause of economic injustice and it goes on and on. Well, I do not believe in that. I, for one, am pro-technology, I believe technology will open doors to our success, I hope you will see that too.

To adults, technology came later in their life. For teenagers of the twenty-first century, that is not the case. I too was born with the ability to have a computer to assist me in my homework that may be difficult and it has allowed me to connect to other people via Internet and use Skype to connect with my friends around the world. Most of us are

By: Imran Kalhoro

Image From: http://joyceira.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/steve-jobs.jpg

true. First of all, technology can not be blamed for procrastination. It was the student’s own decision to complete their assignment or not. Also, with the availability of technology, the student had more resources to complete his assignment, so why did that cause procrastination? Therefore, it is irrational to think that it is technology’s fault in students pro-

“Most of the kids said that technology had a bad influence on them” grateful of having technology as I have heard from my asking different people, but some teenagers disagree. Michael Malone, an American author, interviewed a couple of kids at Resurrection School in Sunnyvale, California in 2009. He was shocked at the results. Most of the kids said that technology had a bad influence on them.

This is what the students had to say, “Technology is the key to procrastination.”, “With all of these toys, it’s hard to get out of the house.”, and “The Internet is like a gateway drug.”

In my opinion, I disagree with them. I will not go on a rant, but I will try to convince you that what they say is not at all

crastinating. A research conducted by R.L. Strub, a novelist, resulted in the discovery of procrastination associated with physical disorders and lesions in the bilateral hemisphere in Globus Pallidus of our brain, or the frontal lobe, if you will.

This study supports the idea of technology causing procrastination as invalid. In addition, students tend to think that they have enough time to turn in their assignment promptly with ease, but it leads to haunt them in the end when they find themselves piled with work.

Another point that I want to clear up is the idea of technology making humans lazy and doing more harm rather than

good. According to Aydan Corkern, an American author, he states in his article called “The Negative Effects of Advancing Technology on Society” that, “As a result, people are becoming lazier, and they don’t feel the dire need to step outside of their home…” I thought about this very deeply.

I reluctantly came to agree with why he thinks technology causes us to be dependent on it; but that does not always result in a bad scenario. We, kids and teens, spend so much time near computers and other electronic devices that we have grasped the ropes of how it works. From my experience with adults, they do not quite now much about computers, perhaps if you ask them to do spelling and grammar in Microsoft Word, they might not be able to; but the possibility of a youth who has grown up with these products will point to it directly is more likely. This is where my questions come in. Is it not possible that since children and youth seem to know more about technology nowadays that they discover an unseen solution to an overwhelming problem that was not visible before? Can being near a computer be helpful then? I agree with the fundamental rule that having too much of anything is bad. This also applies to technology, but it dominates our society; we need to understand the principles of technology in order to connect with its innovations and developments.

My last argument against people opposing technology is the topic that kids now tend to indulge themselves in playing computer-generated games rather than going outside and enjoying the great outdoors. In the article “Negative impact of technology growing too fast” by Melody St. John, a rheumatologist, she tells us that, “Kids nowadays, even those in the third-world countries, prefer to indulge in computer games and video arcade. They spend several hours playing these games rather than engaging in sports that involve generalized physical activity.” This is one of the statements that I do not fully agree with. My reasoning is that computer games do not decrease the knowledge of a person. Just because an individual is having fun does not tend to mean that they are lowering their IQ level. A study was conducted by the University of Rochester in New York which concluded that children, who played video games for an hour daily, were able to increase their visual keenness. This study supports my statement that majority of the video games are not harmful; rather they increase the person’s brain activity level. Computer programmers make objectives or tasks that the gamer has to complete. While a person plays a game,

he/she has to use their brain and their logical reasoning to solve through the whole campaign and try to end the game.

In my opinion this relates to my favorite game of all time, chess. I enjoy playing chess, it sparks my mind think to another level, although I might not actually know it, playing chess overtime may develop my brain even further and make me see things in a different perspective than I used to see them in. I do agree that going outside and getting sunlight is a positive thing to do in life. But saying video games are futile, I couldn’t resist but to argue!

The pros of Technology have overpowered the cons of it. I hope you join my side of the dispute that technology is our friend and not our enemy. I also hope that you too make technology a part of your passion and try to learn more about it. I’m on my journey to understand all the things related to technology and help others who are confused about why technology is an important factor in life. If you are still skeptical and think that technology is a waste to society, please help yourselves alongside with me and cancel your phone plan, quit using this new thing called the “Internet” and do not use a car to get to Wal-Mart to buy your groceries next time. Also, this is very important, don’t use an airplane flight to the next country you wish to go to for vacation; I’m sure going on foot will be an experience you will remember for the rest of your life!

HardWired 7

Game Over

F

or all of you gamers, and especially you gamers in relationships, MODERATION…IS… IMPORTANT! There are countless stories on countless sites that have tales of marriages being ended and jobs being lost. These stories are depressing, they tell tale of people usually males that have a gaming obsession. One site that comes up numerous times is www.gamerwidow.com.

This site has personal stories, confessions and how to help moderate with your family.

By: Shelby Behler

video games help couples bond by playing together and having fun doing it. “Couples that play together stay together”. Well while I agree with this theres just the problem of playing games all the time. I sure wouldn’t want to do that. Moderating would be better.

In conclusion, just moderate gamers. Please don’t end up like the people on gamerwidow. Divorce is not fun, and having actual friends over online friends is better then being alone.

“Moderation is the key for a successful relationship with a gamer...”

On all these sites that i have been looking at in order to acquire the research needed to actually prove my theory of moderation, I have found majority says that moderation is important in order to keep a successful relationship between a gamer and a non-gamer.

Lawyers have admitted that fifteen percent of divorces are video game based. Now of course its not the games fault. Its not making anyone play it. Its the person obviously. they are choosing their online friends over there spouse. Usually its the popular online games that are more likely to attract people. Games like call of duty and world of warcraft are online multiplayers that are very fun and addictive, and that’s just from what I’ve experienced. The games are fun and thought out which could attribute to why people like them.

Its said by numerous therapists that they get just as many cases of video game addiction as they get gambling, sex, porn, and alcohol addiction. Usually requested sessions are called in by other family members, the ironic thing is that people usually play games for stress relief. So much for a stress free day.

Dr. Diana Kirschner, relationship expert says that Image from: Tumblr.com

The Controllers

t

By: Matthew Williamson

here are too many upsetting stories of kids who love to play video games, but are not allowed to by their parents. The parents of these poor children limit game time to little or no time at all because they say that games are bad for a growing child’s mind, that they will make you less creative or render your imagination useless. I’m here to tell you that these parents are misinformed on a tragic level.

Neither imagination, nor creativity are impaired when kids play video games, but rather the opposite. Kids who play video games often become more creative than they would have been if they hadn’t been playing, according to a study at Penn State University. The study showed that

image from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Xbox_360_white_ wireless_controller.png

“Kids who play video games often become more creative than they would have been if they hadn’t been playing,” when people played video games and were stimulated positively, their creativity levels were high. The study also showed that when people played video games and were not stimulated, their creativity levels were even higher. his tells us that video games do not steal kids creativity, but instead beefs it up.

On top of the fact that games help develop the brain, they also help kids develop many other useful skills. Fine motor skills are a major part of being any good at video games. In fact studies show that these motor skills can be used in real life situations like when performing surgeries or flying a plane. video games also help in developing mental mapping skills, pattern recognition, problem solving, logic, and strategy according to Raise Smart Kids.

them temporarily seem more violent or angry when in actuality the games have effectively worked as a violent sport would (in a mental sense).

But hardwired, wont video games ruin your social life?

Well, yes if your like a hardcore gamer and never do anything except play. But if you play recreationaly and not all the time then you can still have a life. It’s not rocket science. It can even be fun to play online with your friends on occasion.

But Hardwired, what can I do to to prevent the controlling parents from spoiling their kids fun?What an excellent question. Help the parents to become less controlling. Make it known to them that video games won’t ruin their child.

In this way we will be able to help many children have their video games, and their fun.

But hardwired, wouldn’t violent games intensify violence in kids? No, in fact kids with stored anger have an easier time releasing that anger through video games. This make make

HardWired 9

GOING BEYOND: One Robot at a Time

By: Imran Kalhoro

T

he idea that once robots rise and develop excessive amount of artificial intelligence, they will turn against their creators, and seek destruction for the entire human race; the notion is that robots should not progress any further then they already have. This is where Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) robotic teachers Anthony Bertucci and Alison Earnhart step in to clear all the confusions.

“I believe that the vast majority of that is fueled by people who do not know anything about robotics and watch a lot of Science Fiction,” says Ms. Earnhart.

When being asked to if he would trust having a robot operating on him, Mr. Bertucci said, “yeah I would do it”.

Bertucci and Earnhart aim to clear all the misconceptions that people might have at a high school level.

Both of these teachers share similar characteristics and by hearing what their students had to say about them, they are “very enthusiastic” people who make their class “super exciting”.

Everyday students walk into their classroom with a smile on their face, an expectation to learning something new, and construct a robot that will guarantee a win in the competitions.

Although they each have the very same love for robots, they had different approach to getting Image From: I, Robot

“It’s been a lot of fun. I absolutely love robotics now, the classes are great, and the teams are great,” says Ms. Earnhart.

Image From: Caradvice.com

involved in educating youths about robots.

“I don’t think it was really a particular straight line, I think it was more of an evolution”, Mr. Bertucci said.

“I think across the board once the kid gets hooked… they apply more,” says Mr. Bertucci.

His career started as being a metal shop teacher, which according to him led “into more and more complex designs”, which then later evolved into controlling devices and his career of Robotics began.

As for Ms. Earnhart, it started in college. She was originally a physics major but she took an electronics course and in it they got to program some robots.

HardWired 11

According to her, she really enjoyed it and that sparked her current career.

Image From:hondauk-media.co.uk

“It’s been a lot of fun. I absolutely love robotics now, the classes are great, and the teams are great,” says Ms. Earnhart.

Many engineers around the world are developing robots and are looking into to perfect them. Lots of productivity is happening in countries such as China, Japan, and even the United States. A video was uploaded to Youtube called, “Japanese nurse robot (Actroid-F) 2010”, in which a robot acts and looks just like a human being. It shows the current progress of how robots have evolved from being a toy to something that boggles people’s minds.

Robotic surgery is also possible now. In the medical field, robots usage is spreading rapidly. With the aid of technology on the doctor’s side, they are able to do more.

According to both Mr. Bertucci and Ms. Earnhart, they agree that having a robot operating on you is perfectly safe and they support the progression.

“Specific robot or machine that were designed for surgery, have been designed very well… I would be willing to trust those machines,” replies Mr. Earnhart.

When being asked to if he would trust having a robot operating on him, Mr. Bertucci said, “yeah I would do it”.

An issue that most people fear is since robots are able Just seeing how much robots are capable of doing, to mass-produce items in a very small amount of time; it scares some people. Does that mean we should put they are more likely to replace human-operated jobs. an end to robot development, especially in terms of “In industries case, they usually use them for dull academic education? repetitive jobs that people get tired of or things that are According to LASA’s robotic teachers, the answer is no. very dangerous”, Mr. Bertucci says.

“We’re getting to the point of robotics and mechanical engineering where it is finally getting the place it deserves amongst the other academic areas… more and more people are realizing that robotics and engineering is just as important as the other things”, Mr. Earnhart states.

Mr. Earnhart also adds more by replying, “It’s good for business but other people might say well what happened to the jobs for the people that used to make t-shirts, now robots are making t-shirts”.

According to an article written by Jeff Burnstein, president of the Robotic Industries Assn., he states, Mr. Bertucci also agrees and states, “In a lot of cases if “U.S. technology and business innovators recognize you teach kids in some type of robotics… they get more that robots in factories have the potential to save and create more jobs than they eliminate.” interested in school”

In a study conducted in 2011

by US News, economist report 250,000 to 300,000 jobs need to be created in order to pull down the unemployment rate.

robotic teachers try their best to gets hooked… they apply more,” deliver a high school engineering says Mr. Bertucci. education to these students.

Mr. Bertucci’s and Ms. Earnhart’s “In every way…you have to actually love for robotics and their own way design it, engineer it, manufacture of seeing what robotics is capable With the advancement occurring in it, test it, redesign it…every aspect of has led them to turn against the the engineering field, it is leading of it is in engineering,” replies Mr. notion of Science Fiction movies to open new job opportunities for Bertucci. such as I, Robot and the Matrix. people.

“We have… to do direct application “I don’t really think it’s an issue or “It all comes down to whether you of all of the math and physics and will ever be an issue,” replies Mr. are pessimistic or optimistic… we’re other aspects of design that we have Bertucci. creating just as many jobs if not so we can actually take the stuff we more than we’re destroying,” states learn and put it in use”.

So will there ever be a robotic Ms. Earnhart. apocalypse?

Having students start learning these Robotics is a big part of LASA. skills at an early age tends to get “I don’t think it is something to Students go into the workshop them more interested in that field worry about now, it is something to and mess around with the all the and as they grow up; It lead to them keep in mind,” says Ms. Earnhart. metal and try to come up with a pursuing their careers in it. masterpiece that will earn them a guarantee win in the competitions “Just like anything…it means that it held every year. is going to be taught better,” states Ms. Earnhart.

“You are usually building one and it is for one goal,” says Ms. Earnhart.

“They’re going to be better “You’re basically working on one prepared…when they get to high robot trying to make it really good”, school or when they get to college”. adds Ms. Earnhart.

“In a lot of cases if you teach kids in some type of robotics… they get Engineering plays an important role more interested in school,” adds Mr. in constructing robots, and LASA Bertucci.

Their goal is to have robotics as a course offering in schools around America. As stated by then, having students involved in engineering helps them think critically and they start to see the world in a different perspective.

“I think across the board once the kid Image From: Boston.com

HardWired 13

Alternate Interests not everything goes according to plan...

C

hris Williamson is a software developer for Freescale semiconductors. His job is to work at his computer to write programs for Freescale’s semiconductors. Recently, he developed a piece of software that reduced a certain job more efficient and reduced the time required from one week to one day. Right now he is working on a program to make one of their chips run more smoothly.

He enjoys his work, especially when he gets to develop software that makes other peoples jobs easier. He also makes a decent salary, enough to afford two nice cars and a house in a great neighborhood. However, he didn’t always plan on sitting at a computer all day.

Although Chris had planned on designing hardware for computers, he ended up in software development.

problem solving and building things.

He decided on being an engineer.

“It was about building things and that has always been fun to me, to build things. I was intrigued by the new things that hardware developers were working on. I thought I could make a decent living out of it.”

by Matthew Williamson long process of hardware design and testing was not going to work for him.

“I knew that it would take a long time to be able to test the things I designed, but it was not until I began work that I realized that the waiting was too

In College Chris majored in electromagnetics. He also minored in several other things which included software design and computer programming. As he progressed through college, he realized that hardware design may not be for him.

He told me about how he, “had become disenchanted with the lengthy process of hardware design.”

At the same time, Chris began to get more enthusiastic about his

Image provided by kelly williamson.

Because he only needs a computer to do his work, Chris can work from anywhere he wants to.

“(I) had become disenchanted with the lengthy process of hardware design.”

He stressed to me the importance of having as diverse an education as possible.

programming courses. He excelled in software design and was having fun doing it.

agonizing. That’s when I remembered how much I loved my programming classes in college.”

“I was lucky I had taken several different classes in college because if I hadn’t then I would have been stuck doing something that I didn’t want to,” he says.

“I got top grades in my software classes because I liked it and so I just spent all my time in it. I loved the fact that I could just push a button to test my work instead of waiting for my design to come back in the mail”

When asked about advice for people receiving education in the engineering field Chris replied, “It’ll be different than expected. Don’t go in paying only attention to what you think you want because you might experience something you like more before it’s too late.”

Prior to college, Chris was prone to building things. So when it came time to decide what to do for a living, he wanted to do something that required

After college, Chris found work as a hardware designer. It wasn’t until then that he realized that the ridiculously

what console is right for you?

By Matthew Williamson

Now personaly, I preffer the xbox 360. This is because of certain features that i liked and matterd to me. I don’t believe that there is a superior console, only that Wii is not it. everybody has there own needs and preferences. To decided whats right for you, here is a comparison chart:

slightly better graphics capabilities. free online wider console only game selection updates are longer but less frequent has a blue-ray player.

better controler more people online at a time better software microsoft knows how to not get hacked updates are much quicker but more frequent

HardWired 15

All Fun and Games: The Inside of GameStop By: Shelby Behler

W

alking into a GameStop, you don’t really pay attention to what the employees do. People normally just come in for a game, a console or whatever else they would need in order to satisfy their needs. Not a lot of people stop and think about how the games get in the store, how they get organized buy game console, and even just how they get your game into its case. It’s actually not as complicated as people think as well.

“Actually it’s become muscle memory,” Jeff said, “I just think about what I need to do and then it just happens.”

What he’s talking about is his job. Jeff Burgundy is a part-time worker at GameStop and he does a lot of things for the shop. An inventory checker, a cashier, costumer service, they have him do a lot of things for a person that isn’t even going to be in the store for much longer.

“In reality I wanted to be a nurse, or a doctor of the sort,” Jeff ad-

mitted, “I really don’t know how I got stuck here”

He deals with angry costumers, missing games, the shipping of games. He talks a lot about the silly questions that he gets too. “The fact is that the guy spent thirty minutes arguing with me about how he couldn’t to get his Xbox to turn on. He didn’t have it plugged in.” Jeff likes his job at GameStop he did say, but he does think that dealing with people is his strong point, and that that’s the reason they want him to stay at the shop.

Inventory isn’t something that he enjoys because he’s not “OCD as others”. Organizing is the last thing he wants to do he admits. “It puts bread on the table so I’m not arguing, in fact as long as I can put money into my collage funding I’m fine with doing it.”

His daily procedures include waking up, getting in uniform, and then following ‘orders’. The atmosphere in the morning is dull, and not a lot of costumers come. Come the afternoon though the place is busy and Jeff is helping out people. “Though it depends on the day, cause’ we’re not getting usually anyone in here on

Monday. It’s mostly Saturday.”

Jeff laughs when people talk about a secret room where they test games. He says that they test games at home. “I really don’t think that they would spend money gettin’ us a ‘special room’. That’s just ridiculous.” They also don’t get a list of games that they have to test. They just test whatever they feel like testing, it’s a preference sort of thing so that they can recommend games based off of preferences. “The costumers usually come in looking for a certain thing, so having different people knowing about different games helps a lot here.”

Image credited to: Dwight Burdette www.wikepedia.com

HardWired 17

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Game Review: Okami At first glance, a game like Okami seems like a game for people who enjoy Japanese art and culture. If you have never even heard of this game don’t worry. You’re not alone there. In fact Okami isn’t a well known game, it’s more like one of those that you stumble across when you’re looking for something to occupy some of your time. It’s worth it though, and here are a few reasons why.

The graphics are wonderful. They are pretty to look at and the game overall plays out well with them. Traditional Japanese art that looks like it was painted on a canvas, and the culture and story doesn’t get in the way too much of the time. The rivers flow, and the trees bloom, and reviving the trees

once enshrouded in darkness burst into life. You’ll find yourself captivated by the way the art pulls you in. There is rarely a time when you find yourself struggling with what you can walk on and what’s off limits.

The story is long and is played out in four major parts that each take a lengthy amount of time if you include all of the side quests that you have to do. It will feel like you’ve completed an entire game in the first part. The map and areas you can explore are huge and it’s not like you have to go to specific part for something to happen. It seems that wherever you go you always have to do something, whether it is a puzzle that you have to solve or another quest that has to be put on hold because you

of the land results in a beautiful cut scene when you see the entire that was

have to get yet another brush god in order to complete it. This brings me to

By: Shelby Behler the actual gameplay.

The controls are a little sticky. When you’re walking it’s just fine, but jumping is a little confusing. Sometimes it seems like you completely miss a jump even when you’re sure you landed where you landed where you were supposed to. Attacking with the divine instrument on your hero isn’t confusing and is easy to figure out. On the other hand, attacking with your celestial brush is frustrating at times but is manageable. If you’re playing Okami on the playstation 2 then the controls are different and easier to control, but in the Wii, if you’re sensor bar isn’t in the correct place or if you run out of battery at a crucial moment then you will get a little angry. Especially

“You’ll find yourself captivated by the way the art pulls you in.”

if you’re in the middle of a boss fight.

Regardless the controls don’t make the game impossible to play, and they don’t stick all the time, after a while of playing you’ll see that it’s not as bad as it seems.

Finally, your hero. You play as the sun god Amatarasu reborn as a wolf from legend. You’re goal is to protect the land of Nippun as you embark on an epic quest to vanquish the land from the evil of demons. Armed with your celestial brush and numerous divine instruments you are determined to find all the brush gods and protect the land from falling into eternal darkness.

Go forth and conquer, as you play Okami.

HardWired 19

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