Category Archives: Technology
The New “Meta” of Social Media: Facebook’s Revival
Thomas Ou ’24
EE Entertainment Editor
The youngest self-made billionaire, Mark Zuckerberg, has no shortage of surprises as he develops a daring new master plan to take over the growing metaverse. The CEO and cofounder of Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook, has had his fair share of controversies and hurdles from privacy concerns to data usage within political campaigns. However, today marks an important day for both social media and technology as the company focuses more on the development of future innovations.
“From now on, we’re going to be the metaverse first, not Facebook first,” said Zuckerberg in the annual connect conference on Thursday, October 28. The company, in an effort to rebrand to better reflect their values and interest, has changed its name from Facebook to Meta. (Random side note to aspiring stock traders out there, a company known as Meta materials, which is completely unrelated to Facebook and the Metaverse, has seen a dramatic surge in stock prices. Please be sure to do research on the company before dumping your life savings on it).
A metaverse, as the name implies, is a virtual universe of endless, interconnected virtual communities where people are able to meet, work, and play. This is done through virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, smartphone apps, and other devices, reflecting the shift into VR and AR technology these past few years. Mark Zuckerberg plans to bring the internet back to life and create an experience so realistic, people will have a hard time differentiating between reality and technology.
“It’s the next evolution of connectivity where all of those things start to come together in a seamless, doppelganger universe, so you’re living your virtual life the same way you’re living your physical life,” said Victoria Petrock, an analyst who follows emerging technologies, in a recent interview with NPR.
Netflix Clamps Down on Password Sharing
Christina Kingan ’23
EE Staff Writer
Netflix has been beginning to introduce a new Two-Factor Authentication feature in order to keep accounts safe and attempt to diminish the amount of unpaid users borrowing friends’ passwords, according to a recent article from the University of Houston’s Cougar newspaper.
Two-factor authentication is where there are two barriers of security. There are many different types of authentication like passwords which are most commonly used. To have two-factors means on top of a password another form of security is implemented. For example a user might be asked a sensitive question only they would know the answer to in order to further verify their identity. Another form of authentication is the use of biometrics. This includes fingerprints, face, and eye scans that are original to the owner and unable to be reproduced.
Netflix has created a messaging system where a notification will appear on the user’s Netflix account stating “If you don’t live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching.” After the user views this, they receive a notification via text or email containing a code which they have to input in order to continue watching.
Many users have been sharing their account passwords with close peers so that they as well can access Netflix’s products without a paid subscription. This new factor makes it much more difficult for this to occur, resulting in many customers getting agitated this “hack” will be blocked.
However Netflix has responded and stated this is strictly for security reasons. As users give away their passwords, they become more prone to hackers. With their passwords being poorly protected with their careless acts, hackers can get hold of them and access their account. Many people reuse their passwords on multiple platforms allowing hackers who have obtained that one password to access more critical and important accounts.
Covid Vaccines Explained
Christina Kingan ’23
EE Staff Writer
Hope is in the air with a new year, and our normal lives potentially just around the corner. The long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine is finally becoming available to the public. After many trial and error processes, the CDC has approved four different ways of fighting the virus, all of them aiming to prepare the immune system to be able to fight off the virus if ever exposed to it. Each works in its own specific way according to the Vaccine Alliance organization, Gavi.
The first type is the whole-virus vaccine. This type of vaccine weakens the virus and makes it nonpathogenic (inactive). When the inactive virus enters the body, it stimulates an immune response without causing disease to the body. When the body’s immune system reaches the virus, it will attack it with antibodies and T cells. The purpose of this is to allow memory cells to remember the virus and be able to know what cells to produce to target the virus more efficiently the next time the body encounters it.
The second type is the protein subunit vaccine. This method takes the spike proteins of the virus and introduces them to the body. Like the previous method, this type of vaccine is also incapable of causing disease.
The benefit of this vaccine is that it is cheaper and easier to make. The disadvantage is that since the fragments cannot infect host cells and are less threatening, the immune system may not recognize them as attacking cells. The problem with this is that they will prompt a weaker immune response. To prevent this from being the case, vaccines of this type will usually include chemical agents known as adjuvants, which will trigger a more robust response from the body. Another alternative is the administration of booster shots, which are extra doses of the vaccine to boost the immune system even more.
Where these vaccines rely on exposing the body to the virus by putting the antigens inside, other vaccines have been developed that allow for the body to learn to fight off the virus by using their own cells. By controlling the cell mechanisms, these vaccines have the ability to copy the way the virus usually reproduces during what would be an actual infection. As opposed to producing copies of the virus, the cells will only produce large quantities of antigen, which will trigger strong immune responses.
School Study Shows Negative Relationship Between Screen Time and GPA
Cyrus Asgari ‘20
Jackie Zhang ‘20
Adrien Joseph ‘20
EE Contributors
Students rely on multiple electronic devices for convenient use and social networking on a daily basis, as well as to supplement their education. However, the increasing presence of technology in everyday life also carries associated risks, especially for a developing adolescent’s brain. The increase in screen time may be a contributing factor in limiting the quantity and quality of sleep students receive and detrimental to their academic performance. Our study sought to answer the question, “How does exposure to the screens of electronic devices affect a student’s sleep and academic performance?”
Over one hundred Trumbull High School students were asked to report the time they spent on their cell phones and other electronic devices, as well as their average sleep. They also indicated their weighted GPA and number of Honors and Advanced Placement classes they enlisted in.
The majority of students stated that they used their phone the most after school and believed that it interfered with their sleep. The study observed that decreased sleep leads to lower academic performance. It was found that as daily phone usage increased, a student’s GPA will decrease. This demonstrates that student phone usage can be detrimental to both their sleep and academic success, but some students continue to use their phone for extended times. Females’ GPAs were less affected by phone usage than males’, indicating that males may be less capable of maintaining a high level of academic performance while facing an equal level of distraction from phones while female students are more likely to manage their time more efficiently overall.
Almost Two Years In, The Switch Still Stands Strong
Chris Gayda ‘19
EE Contributor
Nintendo Switch and Joy-Con
Recently, I had a friend of mine come up to me in the middle of study hall and ask me a question which I had to ponder for but a few seconds:
“Hey, should I get a Nintendo Switch?”
I immediately replied, “Absolutely.” And while I didn’t go into much detail about why, really, I feel that now is my chance to rectify my missed opportunity during study hall.
The Nintendo Switch, released over one and a half years ago, is a hybrid console that you can use projected onto a screen or in handheld mode. Its main competitors are most commonly seen as Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4, but the Switch occupies an entirely separate market. While appealing to long-time fans of the company and their products (such as myself), the Switch is a no-brainer for those looking for mobility without sacrificing the quality that traditional mobile games lack.
Beware of Technology Spies
Amaya Mikolič-Berrios ‘21
EE News Editor
Technology has infiltrated everyone’s home in the modern world, but what many do not know is that their handy new gadget may only be the guise of a household spy. More devices and applications are storing, recording, and even transmitting personal information. Although many such scenarios can be avoided, the terrifying reality is that major companies and even criminals have a front row seat to ins and outs of one’s life.
Although it is difficult to quantify how many people are victims of this abuse, it is estimated that about 27 percent of women and 11 percent of men have had digital stalkers in the United States. Digital stalking often occurs through a user’s cellphone or laptop. Several apps allow remote access to messages, GPS, cameras, and more. Despite laws against stalking, digital spying frequently occurs through legal apps allowing the tracking of children or phones, making it challenging to take legal action.
Mobile phone and computer applications are a serious threat to privacy. Although many are disguised as trackers for children or phones, they are marketed as having uses for tracking spouses or partners. This is the case in many domestic violence incidents.
The Phone of the Future…in 2017
Ashley Matera ‘18
EE Contributor
Wireless charging, an all glass design, and the fastest, smartest chip ever. They all seem like things of the future but instead are happening now! These are just some of the features of the all new Apple iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. The two new additions to the iPhone family were released on September 22, 2017.
“I like the look of the iPhone 8 and I also like the new upgrades it has,” senior Ramije Egriu said.
Prices ranging from $699 to $949 may stop you from even considering to purchse this phone but the new features make it difficult to stay away. An all new design featuring Apple’s most durable glass, for instance, gives the product extra water and dust resistance.
Improved from older models, both battery life and storage capacity have been increased. The new iPhone can also have between 64 or 256 GB of memory, and the fastest and smartest chip to ever be in a smartphone.
Technology Education Students Lead the Race to Innovation
Johnny McLeod driving in heat 2.
Manya Kidambi ‘18
EE Co-Editor in Chief
Vittorio Colicci ‘18
EE Head Science Reporter
As fossil fuels slowly become obsolete, the application of alternative energies to everyday life is growing increasingly important. Innovations like electric cars will help free us from an unsustainable dependence on gasoline and could revolutionize how we view transportation. Focusing on developing more efficient and environmentally-friendly vehicles could be the next step to creating a greener planet.
Recently, Transportation Technology students had the opportunity to build their own alternative energy vehicle and compete in a race at the Berlin Raceway in Berlin, CT. The vehicles (more specifically, go carts) each ran on a one horsepower DC electric motor and two 12 volt car batteries. Led by instructor Matthew Iaccarino, the students drove their way to success as they finished in first place for a second consecutive year.
Samsung Galaxy S8: Super Smartphone!
Manya Kidambi ’18
EE Co-Managing Editor
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is the next phone in Samsung’s lineup.
On March 29, information about the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus was finally revealed to the public, giving consumers a myriad of reasons why it may be the most technologically advanced smartphone on the planet. The release date for this new phone is said to be April 21, so look out world, here it comes!
At a starting price of $720, the Samsung Galaxy S8 will be the market’s most expensive smartphone. There are many reasons why it is priced so high, however.
Star System Offers Hope for Life
Artist’s rendering of the TRAPPPIST-1 system. Depicted are the seven planets and their parent star.
Vittorio Colicci ’18
EE Staff Writer
Since the discovery of the first exoplanet back in 1992, the search for planets beyond our solar system has been on.
Large telescopes set up across and around the globe comb the sky for any candidates potentially harboring alien life. It was using one of these telescopes that scientists, on February 22, announced the discovery of a 7-planet star system named TRAPPIST-1, located about 40 light years away.
